Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis'

Also Known As

Valerie Finnis Western Mugwort

Plant type

perennial

size

H: 2'-4'
W: 3'-6'

planting zones

6a-9b

More Options

Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis' plant details

Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis' is a broadleaf semi-evergreen perennial with blue foliage. In summer yellow flowers emerge. Attracts bees making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly sun and occasional - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers to be dry in summer. Does well in average, gritty, lean and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and humidity tolerant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis'

Plant type: perennial
Plant family: asteraceae
Foliage: semi-evergreen blue
Mature size: 3 FT - 6 FT - wide, 2 FT - 4 FT - tall
Flowers: yellow blooms in summer
Uses: cut leaves, easy-to-grow, fragrant foliage, rock garden, xeric

GROWING CONDITIONS for Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis'

USDA Zones: 6a - 9b
Sun exposure: sun - mostly sun
Watering frequency: occasional - low
Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat and humidity
Soil needs: average, gritty, lean and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

?One of the best silver-leaved perennials?, this 18-24" aromatic and drought tolerant mounder has showy, wide, nearly rectangular silver-gray leaves. S/M-D/GDr

By: Forestfarm

Outstanding silvery leaves catch the moonlight in night gardens, adding mystery and a faint glimmering presence. In sunny daytime they cool down bright gold yarrows and brilliant cone flowers in well-drained even droughty sites. Shear as desired for fresh aromatic foliage, the cut stems become filler for bouquets and can also be dried. The very best selection of wormwood available, it is tolerant of heat and humidity and hardy as nails.

By: Select Seeds

Valerie Finnis' dons silvery white leaves so soft and showy you'd think they were felt. Lobed near the tips, the wide aromatic foliage lines stout, generally erect gray stems, forming a compact, noninvasive clump that makes a luminous counterpoint to lush greens or bronzes. This prized perfect-for-drying Mugwort can be pinched to maintain its textural form and lightly sheared when dense yellowish gray flower panicles appear. Thwarting deer and tolerant of both poor or dry soil, the Western Mugwort demands excellent drainage and mopes in high humidity.

By: Digging Dog Nursery

An herbaceous, spreading perennial (although never rampant). Panicles of insignificant flowers are borne in summer and autumn. Cut old stems back to ground level after flowering to allow the new growth to come through. Tolerant of dry conditions. An excellent groundcover for sun. Differs from A. ludoviciana in having broader leaves and more compact growth.

By: Zephs

A low, spreading selection to 18" with felted gray, almost white leaves and stems. Give it full sun and a hard annual cutting for best results. Completely dormant in winter. Hardy to 0F.

By: Native Sons

Valerie Finnis is a herbaceous perennial and has the widest foliage of the artemesia group. Mounds of wide bright silver leaves are aromatic and adds contrast in the garden. Also a good cut foliage. Pale yellow flowers in midsummer, hardy zone 4-9, sun and well drained. Deer resistant.

By: Accents for Home and Garden

From the famed British plantswoman of the same name, this lovely evergreen perennial, from about 18" to 4 ft tall, is perfect for a sunny location with very good drainage. Both erect stems and leaves are silver-white, adding contrast and texture. Summer flowers are yellow on tallish stems, not significant. Half to full sun. Though drought tolerant, occasional summer water replenishes the abundant foliage. Plants can be sheared to reshape. Frost hardy in USDA zone 6. Much prettier than its common name would suggest.