EMILY de CAMP HERBARIUM

COMMON NAME: Dusty Miller
OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Beach Wormwood, Mugwort
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Artemisia stelleriana
FAMILY: Asteraceae
COMMUNITY: Secondary Dune
STATUS: Non-native (introduced from northeast Asia)
LIFESPAN: Perennial
HEIGHT: One to two feet
FLOWERING TIME: June-late September
FRUITING TIME: September to October
DISTRIBUTION: Quebec to Virginia-occasionally inland to Minnesota



IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Small, yellow flowerheads hug stem ~ bluntly lobed, blue-green leaves covered with abundant white woolly hairs ~ extensive creeping rhizomes.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Dusty Miller was cultivated for its unusual white foliage. It escaped cultivation and can now be found on sandy beaches, coastal dunes and around inland lakes. A number of cultivated varieties can be purchased at garden centers and nurseries.

The name “Dusty Miller” refers to the white foliage which appears to have been ‘dusted’ with flour. A miller would grind grain into flour, hence the named “Dusty Miller”. Its genus name refers to Artemis (or Diana), goddess of the hunt and protector of women. Related to the allergy-causing ragweeds, dusty miller is also related to the European wormwood from which absinthe is derived.

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails. This information is presented for educational purposes only.ark. New Jersey, 08752.