[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Chris Trask]

>
> I am interested in artemesia ludoviciana (western mugwort).
> Does it grow well here in the valley?  What are the sun and
> water requirements, especially during the summer?  I had
> read somewhere that having this plant in your yard would
> help keep cats out of your yard.  Is this true?  And, where
> can I find this plant to purchase?  Thank you.
>

    I have one specimen of Artemesia ludoviciana that I have been growing
now for about three years.  It took two years for it to become adequately
established to the point where I could back off on the watering.  This past
summer, I only had to give it supplemental water every two weeks or so
whereas I had to water it every 2-3 days prior to this year.

    It will not take full sun here in the Phoenix area.  A second specimen
that I bought at the same time burned to a crisp due to excessive sun
exposure.  This surviving one is planted so that it gets partial sun
throughout the summer and brief full sun in the late fall to early spring.

    I believe that I got these at Baker's, but it is not a regular item.
You simply have to check there periodically to see what's available.  Shady
Way Garden in Apache Junction may have some from time to time, and it would
be useful to contact them by email as they sometimes have items in their
wholesale lot but not the retail lot, but they can often spare a couple if
there isn't much demand.


Chris Trask
Outings Leader, Sierra Club (1981-1991)
Palo Verde Group Outings Chair, Sierra Club (1985-1988)
Grand Canyon Chapter Outings Chair, Sierra Club (1988-1991)
Member, Arizona Native Plant Society
Member, Arizona Governor's Advisory Council on Invasive Species (2005-2006)
Member, Central Arizona Weed Management Area

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~christrask/wildflowers.html

     We cannot command nature except by obeying her.

                                 - Sir Francis Bacon