Monday, April 20, 2009

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.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for the explanation, I checked this plant on the web but I was a bit confused.
    Is this one the title plant of the 'Riders of the Purple Sage'?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the follow up. I was totally unfamiliar with this plant. Blogging always learning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It must smell go to us and bad to animals. I didnt know it had a smell.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've been in Boise after a rain and had the wonderful experience of smelling the sagebrush. It flavors the air in a way that smells wild and exotic. The aroma faded as the morning wore on but it was glorious while it lasted.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It smells wonderful, doesn't it? I'm always looking for some when I'm in your part of the world.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is a familiar scene! I saw it growing up in Boise, and I see it now in the WWV! It's everywhere, it seems. If not like this...then tumbling across the freeway in the wind!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very interesting. I take it you'd advise against having a brush with a sagebrush?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi! This is the best place I found about sagebrush. I'm writing a novel and needed to know how it smells.

    Shame on me, because I come from a place where there's lots, but I can't remember how it smells!

    What dot you write?

    ~Elizabeth :)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by!