How big does Silvermound grow?

About 25 cm × 45 cm after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 10–30 cm × 30–60 cm.

Is Silvermound hardy?

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

When does Silvermound flower?

Flowering: June–August, yellow.

How much water does Silvermound need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

Silvermound

Artemisia schmidtiana

Silvermound (Artemisia schmidtiana) is a perennial that reaches 25 cm × 45 cm after ten years. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: high.

Illustration of Silvermound — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

It forms a low, rounded cushion of soft, finely cut, silvery grey leaves and is grown for that foliage, as its tiny yellowish flowers hardly show. It looks best on sunny, dry, lean, gravelly soil and suits rock and gravel gardens, border edges and pots, where it sets off purple and blue flowers nicely. In heavy, wet soil it rots quickly, and in midsummer the mound tends to fall open in the middle, so shear it back before it flowers.

Watch out for

In heavy, clay, poorly drained soil and in wet winters the crown rots, so on such ground it only lasts in a gravel-improved raised bed or rock garden. In midsummer, especially in sultry, humid weather, the mound opens up or rots out in the centre; shearing it back before flowering makes it dense again. In rich soil it grows loose and floppy.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Low
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 25 cm × 45 cm
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Semi-evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D June–August, yellow

Group	Perennial
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	25 cm × 45 cm
Ultimate size	10–30 cm × 30–60 cm
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Foliage	Semi-evergreen
Flowering	June–August, yellow
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no data
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	30 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 19, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

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