Adaptation: Sagewort wormwood grows in open places, and is often found growing in sandy soil. Sagewort wormwood is circumboreal, and its southern range occurs in Oregon, Arizona, Michigan, and Vermont.
Most of the wild sages are abundant in their natural habitats. White sage and other Artemisia species can be propagated by seeds or by cuttings taken in the early summer (Kindscher 1992).
Propagation from Cuttings: Sagewort wormwood spreads vigorously from a prominent taproot. Plants can easily be divided and replanted.
In greenhouse conditions, it is best to dig up and separate plants in late fall or winter. This is the “quiescent” period that follows seed maturation, and leaves are senescent (dried up and brown colored).
Split the plant clump into pieces by hand, then cut the plant into sections, each with one or more buds.
For dividing the whole plant, gently loosen the soil around the plant, taking care to not damage the roots, and then lift the plant gently with a pitchfork. Shake off as much soil from the roots as possible.
Divide the plant into smaller pieces by hand, retaining only healthy, vigorous sections, each with new buds.
Replant the divisions as soon as possible. It is important the plants don’t dry out, so if replanting is delayed a couple of hours, dip the plants briefly in water and keep them in a sealed plastic bag in a cool, shady place until you are ready to plant them.
Cut back the old top-growth and replant the divided plant sections to the same depth as before.
When replanting, ensure that the roots are well spread out in the planting hole and the plant firmed in. Water newly planted divisions thoroughly; take care not to expose the roots by washing away soil when watering.
Plants should be planted in the full sun in a light, loose soil. Plants should be planted on 12-18” centers.
As plants are becoming established, the rooting zone needs to be kept moist.
Propagation by seed: When the soil has warmed to at least 45ºF (7ºC) in the spring, sow hardy Artemisia species where they are to flowers.
Seeds can also be sown in pots or seed trays and either out-planted in their final positions in late fall or over-wintered in a cold frame to be out-planted in spring. This technique is particularly useful in gardens with clay soil that is slow to warm up in spring.
The two main methods of sowing outdoors are broadcast and drills. For both, prepare the seedbed first by digging over the soil to one spade depth, then rake over and firm.
Broadcast Sowing: Sprinkle seeds thinly and evenly on the surface of the prepared seedbed and rake them in lightly. Label the seedbeds, then water the area gently, but thoroughly, with a fine spray.
Sowing in drills: Use either a trowel tip or the corner of a hoe, mark out shallow drill holes 3-6” (8-15 cm) apart, depending on the ultimate size of the plant. Sow seeds thinly and evenly by sprinkling or placing them along each drill at the appropriate depth. Carefully cover with soil and firm. Label each row and water gently but thoroughly with a fine spray.
To prevent overcrowding, the seedlings usually need to be thinned. To minimize disturbance to a seedling being retained, press the soil around it after thinning the adjacent seedlings.
Water the newly establishing seedlings fairly frequently until the roots have developed.
