Description

The big sagebrush is most common in California on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. From there it extends into the Great Basin, where it becomes quite common. It avoids our coastal mountains until Santa Barbara County where the Transverse Ranges touch the coast. It occurs in coastal scrub as well as its more typical mountain settings from there throughout the Peninsular Ranges into Mexico. One can see it as one drives over the Grapevine on Highway 5. Big sagebrush typically grows as an upright shrub to three feet in height or so, with waxy gray foliage. The foliage is quite aromatic. Given some additional water and time, it can grow into a little tree of twelve feet or more. It develops a woody trunk and branches and can be trained into an unusual small tree. Big sagebrush is adaptable to a variety of conditions, and id very stable in appearance throughout the year.