Sea Foam Sage Brings Frothy Texture to the Landscape

Ready for a beach vacation in your garden? The texture of Sea Foam Sage (Artemisia versicolor ‘Sea Foam’) will have oceanic images lapping around the corners of your mind. The foliage is described as misty, frothy and curly and may even remind you of coral. 

 

Sea Foam thrives in full to partial sun in moderate to xeric conditions where it prefers little organic matter and good drainage. It is a strong grower and will form mounds of silvery blue foliage. Cut it back by half in the spring to allow it to produce fresh new curls. 

 

Introduced from England to the US market by Lauren Springer, this is a prime addition to the rock garden, xeric garden, alpine garden or at the base of many perennials and shrubs. 

 

Stick with that misty theme by combining it with the soft colors of Wee One Lavender (Lavendula angustifollia ‘Wee One’) or Drew’s Folly™ Hardy Snapdragon (Antirrhinum sempervirens ‘P020S’). Alternatively, contrast it with bold colors like Orange Carpet® Hummingbird Trumpet (Epilobium canum subsp. garrettii ‘PWWG01S’) and Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata). 

 

If you’re infatuated with flowers of all colors, weaving gray foliage plants like Sea Foam Sage through the garden really helps to provide continuity. It separates colors that might not work well without a bit of space between them. Finally, you could plant Sea Foam with grasses like Standing Ovation Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’PP25,202) or Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ PP22,048). These plants will all look great in the fall and then, with their strong winter presence, delight you in the winter months. 

 

Height: 8-12”

Width: 20-36”

Blooms: insignificant but, oh, that foliage! 

Sun: Full sun to part sun

Soil Moisture: moderate to xeric

Hardiness: USDA zones 4b-8

Culture: Loam or sandy soil

Elevation: Up to 6200 ft. (Will tolerate 7000 feet if it’s not in wet snow.) 

View the plant profile here. 

Thanks to Bev Shaw of Plant Select® for this piece.