Plant Min Zone: 5a
Plant Max Zone: 9a
Sunlight: All Day Full Sun, Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average
Soil Quality: Poor, Average
Bloom Season: Insignificant
Flower Color: Insignificant
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Silver-Grey
Summer Foliage Color: Silver-Grey
Fall Foliage Color: Silver-Grey
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: Yes
Scented Flowers: Yes
Drought Tolerance: High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Low, Medium
Wind Tolerance: High
Poor Soil Tolerance: Rocky Soils, Sandy Soils, Shallow Soils, Clay Soils, Acidic Soil (low PH), Alkaline Soils (high PH)
Height: 1.5' - 2.5'
Width: 3' - 4'
Growth Rate: Fast
Service Life: Medium: 3-5 years
Maintenance Need: Medium
Spreading Potential: High
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground in Early Winter After Hard Freezes: Some Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Mass Planting of 10 or more
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Survives Under Roof Overhang, Survives Severe Drought, Tolerates Extreme Heat, Top of Retaining Wall Locations, Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Long Lasting Fall Color, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: Naturalizing
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: Aggressive Rhizomes / Runners, May get Occasional Winter-kill, May Be Too Invasive for Garden Use, May be Poisonous
Valerie Finnis Wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis') is a beautiful drought tolerant woody perennial valued for its silver-gray foliage. Most artemisias are best grown in poor to moderately fertile, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Excellent soil drainage is essential for growing this plant well as poor lanky growth and root rot will occur in moist to wet soils. General foliage decline may occur in hot and humid summer climates but this is rarely a problem in Kansas or Oklahoma. Beware that this is an extremely vigorous plant that crowds out most weeds and is itself weed-like, with a very spreading underground rhizome system. Best planted and allowed to grow as large isolated clumps, mowing around it generally stops the yearly spread. In Kansas landscapes, it may be used as a mass planting groundcover in front of taller contrasting blooming shrubs such as crape myrtles, vitex, smoke bushes, or roses.