Artemisia

Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’, or Powis Castle Artemisia, is a medium perennial used in many landscapes both as an accent plant and as a means to break up monotonous greens and soften bright colors. Powis Castle can grow to be 2 to 3 feet tall and twice as wide giving it the ability to make landscape look much fuller.  This particular Artemisia thrives in all of Texas (zones 5b to 9) in full sun to partial shade with average water needs. It is a drought tolerant plant used in xeriscaping and Texas native designs. As with many plants, keep in mind that this plant will stretch in shade conditions (less than 4 hours of direct sun), and the preferred shape (as pictured) is compact and obtainable in full sun conditions.

Powis Castle Artemisia is one of my favorite silver colored perennials and can serve multiple purposes in the landscape. Although Powis Castle has pale yellow inconspicuous flowers it is primarily grown for its fine silvery foliage with a velvety texture. Its dense silver leaves make an excellent border or container plant and serves as a great accent for pops of color. Powis Castle should be cut back occasionally to encourage its attractive mounding habit. It is best paired with other flowering perennials and ornamental grasses where its unique color and texture can stand out. I love to pair it with Salvia, Agapanthus, Esperanza, and Coneflowers.

Other Varieties:

Artemisia stelleriana ‘Silver Brocade’, also known as Dusty Miller, is a perennial or groundcover that can reach 12 inches in height and 15 inches wide. It is more cold hardy than the other Artemisia mentioned and is hardy in zones 3 to 9 and requires full sun. It differs from Powis Castle not only its size but also in its larger leaf size.

Artemisia scmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’, or Satiny Wormwood, is a small perennial that can grow to 6 to 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide and is hardy in zones 4 to 9.