Artemisia norvegica

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Artemisia norvegica is a flowering plant in the aster family. It has several common names, including alpine sagewort, boreal sagewort, mountain sagewort, Norwegian mugwort, arctic wormwood, and spruce wormwood.

Where it grows
- It lives in very cold places in Eurasia (Scotland, Scandinavia, and the Ural Mountains) and in high mountains and northern areas of North America (Alaska, Yukon, Nunavut, parts of western Canada, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and California).
- It loves subalpine and alpine climates and Arctic tundra. It can be found in moraines, fell fields, alpine meadows, and grassy or sedge areas.
- In Alaska it grows near fjords with other tundra plants. It also appears on the Kenai Mountains and in the Rocky Mountains’ alpine tundra, among grasses and sedges. In the Northwest Territories it grows with lichens and grasses.

What it looks like
- It is a perennial subshrub about 20–60 cm tall (about 8–24 inches).
- Most leaves are near the bottom, and they are 2–20 cm long.
- The plant has a nodding cluster of flower heads. Each head has ray florets (female) and central disc florets (bisexual).
- It reproduces by seeds and can spread by sending out runners (stolons). The seeds are blown by the wind.

Ecology and uses
- Artemisia norvegica is a pioneer species, meaning it is often one of the first plants to grow in disturbed or bare ground, such as soil exposed by floods or vehicle tracks.
- It has been used to help revegetate disturbed habitat, for example during the Trail Ridge Road project in Colorado.
- It serves as food for several animals, including mountain goats in Alaska, as well as deer and hoary marmots.

Subspecies and status
- Three subspecies are recognized.
- Conservation status is secure, meaning it is not considered at risk.