Everwilde Farms - 2000 Fringed Sage Native Wildflower Seeds - Gold Vault Seed Packet

This hardy plant of the western plains provides excellent ground cover and erosion control for poor soil. In addition, its silvery foliage lends striking beauty to the landscape. Fringed Sage grows prolifically in the mountains and prairies of the United States, providing high quality winter forage for wild animals such as pronghorn, grouse, and elk. It also survives the harsh climate of the steppes of Canada, Siberia, and Mongolia; the first recorded mention of this species in the wild occurred in Siberia in 1803. Its unusual root system enables it to adjust to the moisture level of the soil, growing either a deep taproot or branching roots near the surface. Native Americans and early settlers used the foliage of this plant medicinally to treat infection, coughs, and indigestion; because of its softness and fragrance, pioneer women would stuff pillows with dried bunches of fringed sage. When burned on a campfire, the dried leaves repel unwanted insects such as mosquitoes. However, its appearance alone makes this plant valuable; its silvery beauty won it the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.