Sagebrush

I had a post the other day about referring to the sagebrush sea that surrounds Boise. It's the scrubby habitat of the area before irrigation, and it's still prevalent in natural areas. Here is a sagebrush shrub not far from my house. Sagebrush is a native high desert plant that gets its "sage" name because some think it smells like that herb when it's wet. I think it smells more like a minty-menthol after the rain. It's a very strong smell that helps discourage critters from eating it, although pronghorn aren't deterred. It stays a silvery-gray-green throughout most of the year. I have friends who like to cut a small sagebrush shrub and use it as a Christmas tree - that might be illegal in some areas. Also, you don't want to mess with sagebrush too much, it can cause a rash.