Sagebrush: Nevada's State Flower

Photo: State Symbols USA

Sagebrush is a large part of Nevada's ecosystem. Its scientific name is Artemisia tridentata, comes from the Greek goddess: Artemis. A unique characteristic of this plant is its medicinal purposes that were used by the Native Americans of the area. Some medicinal benefits from the leaves of sagebrush include treating headaches, colds, internal bleeding and lessening the effects of infected wounds. While the leaves are edible, it gives off a very bitter and pungent taste. Not only did the Natives use sagebrush for its medicinal benefits, but the bark could also be used to weave mats and other materials. 
Another reason that sagebrush was determined as the state flower is because it is so apparent to the area. Due to Nevada’s dry climate, the soil is very sandy and cannot hold water well. This makes perfect conditions for sagebrush to thrive. 
With the historical background and importance of sagebrush, it makes sense that it has been determined the state's flower. It also appears on the state’s flag as well as the state’s song!

Sources:
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/artemisia_tridentata.shtml
​https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/nevada/state-flower/sagebrush

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