The Silverado plant (Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Silverado’), also known as Western Mugwort ‘Silverado’ or Silverado Wormwood, is a popular, low-maintenance perennial. Its distinctive silvery-white leaves provide vibrant visual contrast in garden beds, and it is known for its hardiness.
Understanding the Silverado Plant
The Silverado plant has densely fuzzy, silvery-white foliage, giving it a soft appearance. This color and texture are consistent throughout the growing season, offering year-round interest in milder climates. It typically grows 1 to 3 feet tall with a similar spread, forming an upright, clumping mound.
Hardy in USDA Zones 3 through 9, this perennial thrives across a wide range of climates. Native to arid North America, it is inherently drought-tolerant once established. Its finely textured, deeply lobed leaves create an intricate visual appeal that catches the light.
Planting and Growing Silverado
Silverado plants need full sun exposure, at least six hours daily, to maintain their compact form and vibrant silver color. Insufficient light leads to leggy growth and a less intense leaf color.
Well-draining soil is crucial for Silverado’s health, as it is highly intolerant of consistently wet conditions. It adapts to various soil types, including poor or rocky soils, but excellent drainage is paramount to prevent root rot. Amending heavy clay soils with organic matter or sand can improve drainage before planting.
Once established, Silverado plants are drought-tolerant, needing minimal supplemental water. During their initial growing season, regular watering helps them develop a robust root system. After this period, allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings, as overwatering is a common cause of decline.
The Silverado plant adapts well to temperatures within its hardiness zones and is generally unaffected by humidity levels. It typically does not require fertilization, as excessive nutrients can encourage leggy growth and diminish its characteristic silver appearance. If growth seems stunted in very poor soil, a light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring may be considered.
Pruning helps maintain the plant’s shape and promotes denser growth. A light shearing in late spring or early summer encourages new, compact foliage and prevents the plant from becoming leggy. Cutting back about one-third of the plant’s height in early spring rejuvenates older plants and maintains a tidy form.
Landscaping with Silverado
Silverado’s striking silvery foliage makes it an excellent choice for providing visual contrast in garden designs. Its bright color stands out against darker green plants and complements various flower colors, particularly purples, blues, and pinks. It is a natural fit for xeriscapes, rock gardens, and Mediterranean landscapes due to its drought tolerance.
Silverado can be used as a mass planting for groundcover, creating a shimmering silver carpet, or incorporated into mixed borders. Its upright yet spreading habit also makes it suitable for defining edges or pathways. Pair it with other drought-tolerant perennials like lavender, sedum, coneflowers, or ornamental grasses for a cohesive, low-maintenance garden.
Common Considerations for Silverado
While generally well-behaved, the Silverado plant can spread vigorously in ideal growing conditions, particularly through underground rhizomes. To manage its spread, plant it in areas where its expansion can be contained, or install a root barrier during planting. Regular division every few years in early spring also helps control its size and vigor.
Silverado’s aromatic foliage contributes to its strong resistance to most common garden pests and diseases. Deer and rabbits tend to avoid it, and insect infestations are rare. The primary issue is root rot, occurring almost exclusively in poorly drained or overly wet soil conditions, reinforcing the importance of proper site selection.
Beyond basic pruning, Silverado generally requires little seasonal maintenance. Deadheading spent flower stalks is not strictly necessary for plant health, as the flowers are inconspicuous, but it can contribute to a tidier appearance. In colder regions, the foliage may die back in winter, and a spring cleanup of dead material prepares the plant for new growth.