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Powis Castle Artemisia Artemisia 'Powis Castle'

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
ar-tem-EE-zee-ah
Description

Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ is a shrub-like herbaceous perennial in the sunflower family.  This cultivar is likely a hybrid between Artemisia arborescens and Artemisia absinthium introduced in 1972 from the National Trusts’ Powis Castle in Wales.  This hybrid, selected by British gardener A. J. Hancock in the late 1960's, was propagated to line walls and terraces surrounding the castle and later sold to promote the National Trust gardens. It is noted for its finely textured, silver-gray, aromatic foliage that grows in upright, spreading mounds.   In milder climates, foliage remains in leaf year-round.   It requires full sun, well-drained soil, and tolerates drought. Plants are prone to rot if conditions are too wet and foliage may also decline during hot, humid summers.  This plant rarely blooms, but inconspicuous flowers sometimes appear in late summer.  Growth spreads by rhizomes.  Individual mounds are about 2 feet wide, but unrestrained rhizome growth can spread mounds to widths of 6 feet.  This easily grown plant makes an attractive ground cover for borders, beds, rock gardens, xeriscapes, and urban locations.  Its fern-like leaves add color and texture to a landscape to accentuate perennial flowers or ornamental grasses.

Quick ID Hints:

  • Bushy mound of silvery, dissected foliage.
  • Leaves silvery-tomentose, finely dissected
  • Flowers yellow in minute, drooping heads

 

More information on Artemisia.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Border Garden- Silver Theme
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#fragrant#drought tolerant#fall flowers#silver leaves#fragrant leaves#fall interest#rabbit resistant#deer resistant#rock garden#border planting#stepping stones#fantz#dried arrangements#garden walls#dry soils tolerant
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#fragrant#drought tolerant#fall flowers#silver leaves#fragrant leaves#fall interest#rabbit resistant#deer resistant#rock garden#border planting#stepping stones#fantz#dried arrangements#garden walls#dry soils tolerant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Artemisia
    Family:
    Asteraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Play Value:
    Easy to Grow
    Fragrance
    Textural
    Dimensions:
    Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Perennial
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Mounding
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Fine
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil pH:
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Dry
    Very Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Insignificant
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Good Dried
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Cup
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Yellow, minute, inconspicuous flowers rarely bloom. Cymose drooping heads 1/8 inch diameter.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Leaf Feel:
    Soft
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Pinnatifid
    Pinnatisect
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Silvery gray fragrant pinnately divided leaves. Alternate, silvery-tomentose, 2-5" long, pinnatifid with 2-4 pinnately divided leaflets ending in slender linear segments.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Naturalized Area
    Rock Wall
    Slope/Bank
    Small Space
    Walkways
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    English Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Diseases
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Foot Traffic
    Pollution
    Rabbits