Stats

Lifespan: Up to 30 yrs
Size: Medium
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Coastal sage scrub
Range: North America
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Common

About

California sagebrush is a silver-grey aromatic shrub native to coastal California and Baja California, where its thread-like leaves release a sharp, camphor-like fragrance that intensifies dramatically after rain. It is a keystone species of the coastal sage scrub ecosystem, providing critical nesting material and shelter for dozens of bird species including the endangered California gnatcatcher.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Artemisia
Species: Artemisia californica