Sagebrush

desert plants · western USA · wildlife habitat

Gray-green shrub. Sagebrush grows as a low, bushy plant with silvery-gray leaves that smell strongly like sage when you crush them. It's perfectly adapted to survive in dry, rocky places where other plants struggle.

Wildlife haven. Sagebrush provides food and shelter for hundreds of animals, from rabbits and insects to birds and snakes. Many creatures have evolved to depend almost entirely on sagebrush for survival.

Covers the West. Sagebrush stretches across vast landscapes called sagebrush steppe, covering parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and many other western states. It's one of the largest plant communities in North America.

Ancient and hardy. Sagebrush can live for hundreds of years, with some plants being older than the oldest trees in many forests. Its deep roots tap into water far below the surface to survive droughts.

Fire adapted. Sagebrush has evolved to survive and even depend on periodic wildfires, which help spread its seeds and clear competing plants.