Silver mound (Artemisia)

Artemisia schmidtiana is a low-growing perennial with a rounded mound of finely divided, silvery leaves. The Royal Horticultural Society describes the species as evergreen and rhizomatous, reaching up to about 30 cm tall; small pale-yellow flowers may appear in summer. Silver foliage and a compact form make it useful for edging, gravel and rock gardens, containers, or as a low groundcover among larger plants. ## Growing Conditions Give it full sun and well-drained soil. It tolerates exposed positions, but heavy, poorly drained ground can lead to dieback. The existing USDA zone range of 3–7 is retained because the RHS H5 rating describes UK conditions and is not a USDA-zone equivalent. Kew accepts A. schmidtiana as a perennial species native to the Russian Far East, Sakhalin, and Japan. See the [RHS species profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/97590/artemisia-schmidtiana/details) for habit, garden use, and care, and [Kew’s Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:180088-1/general-information) for accepted taxonomic identity and native range. ## Maintenance Keep the crown out of persistently wet soil. Lightly trim in spring to maintain a neat cushion, avoiding cuts into old woody stems without buds. Remove occasional seedlings or divide the spreading clump if it moves beyond its intended edge.