Artemisia invasion?

15 years ago

I bought an artemisia "Oriental Limelight" a few days ago. I have been looking for a while for just the right plant to complement a statue in my flower garden, saw this and just knew it was the perfect one. When I got home I looked it up online and everything I read about it is negative. On the tag with the plant it says it grows up to 12 inches high, which is exactly what I need, but everything else I've read since buying it says it grows 2 to 3 feet tall. All the reviews online say it is extremely invasive as it spreads through underground runners to the point of being uncontrollable, equal to crabgrass. In fact, they say not to plant it if you don't want it to take over your garden. Now I'm very leery of planting it. I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with this plant, and what their opinion is. In the meantime I've planted it in a barrel planter, until I can decide where (if anywhere) to put it. Thanks!

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Comments (8)

laceyvail 6A, WV
15 years ago
The info is right--it's an extremely aggressive plant, spreading wildly by underground runners, and despite its beauty, if you plant it, you'll regret it.
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tracey_nj6
15 years ago
Mine came in a potted assortment that I decided to plant. Biggest mistake I ever made. It literally tried to take over and was a nightmare to remove, probably about 4 years to remove it fully. Considering you said you're leery about planting it, go with your gut and do not plant it.
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I would try one of the upright Sedums. I'm a big fan of these as a substitute for the invasive Artemisia. There are several upright sedums that have pale/icy/frosty looking foliage for the area where you want something that stays small. Upright sedum are just so easy to take care of. If they get too big, you can just divide them anytime and stick the division somewhere else, where it will happily take root, but they don't grow all over the place like Artemisia. For us, each year one upright sedum usually has one "baby" per season that is easily moved to another spot in the garden. We have Sedum telephium "Autumn Joy" which is beautiful, especially late in the season because this is when it blooms. Now there is also an "Autumn Fire" which has more intense color blooms. Sedum "Matrona" might work for you, or maybe Sedum erythrostictum "Frosty Morn". Sedum "Black Jack" has unusual icy purple foliage, and Sedum spectabile "Stardust" has white flowers. Some of these may be a little taller than what you're looking for (most of the upright sedum get about 2 feet high maximum). There is a shorter sedum "Vera Jameson", but I'm not sure how much this one spreads as it's not classified as an "upright".
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Ive been growing this plant for about five years ago, from a small start someone gave me. It is a very agressive spreader and hard to get rid of since even a small piece of root will regrow. But its not imposible to keep under control. It is most invasive in its ideal conditions, moist soil. I now have mine confined to a small area under some maple trees (so part shade), in nearly full gravel. The drought and rockiness keeps it from quicly taking over the other plants and the part shade keeps it from wilting (I dont think it could handle both drought and full sun). It does still spread a good deal though, even using this meathod. Every spring I have to pull up many new starts around the original plant to keep it in check. Hope this helps you! CMK
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I have, or had, southernwood bushes in 'Camphor', 'Tangerine', and 'Lime' (or something similar). It's a little difficult to say which is what now. I planted a couple a little too close and they have intermingled so much I can't always be certain which scent I'll get when I sniff a branch. I agree that they spread a little, like some other artemisias, but they have stayed fairly close to where I've planted them. They root very easily from cuttings and from root divisions. I've found that my southerwood clumps are really difficult to dig up (deep and spreading roots that seem to get into everything around them), so I do what I can to deal with them wherever they've taken a liking too. Otherwise, I'd have to dig up large parts of beds and I haven't had much luck with getting large transplanted bushes to live. They do get leggy, but can be cut down short in the spring and clipped back as needed. This year I potted up some of my cuttings and they were ready for planting in a month or so. Those got planted along one side of the chicken run to discourage the hens from nibbling other plants. So far, so good. kent
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Sadly, I'm reading this to get ideas for plants I CAN use in this zone/region/area. We are what my mom calls "high and dry". You dig and get 6" or less of acidic topsoil (thanks to all the oaks), then the rest of it below is sugar sand (or "blow sand"). We are about 2 miles inward of Lake Michigan, but still have way too much sand in a heavily forested area. The years-long established woodland areas have typical wintergreen (teaberry), wild blueberry, wild violets, some kind of resilient fern, some dry-loving moss, a small non-violet purple flower, and others I can't remember names. But around my mom's house (built about 6 years ago) has nothing but sand under 1" of any kind of topsoil. Maple seedling from the few trees she has seems to be the worst weed in my beds. She's struggled over time to grow any kind of lawn and is just now starting to succeed in her back yard. We haven't found ANY plant so far to be invasive besides crab grass and dandelions. Snow-on-the-mountain died after first year somehow. Vinca minor (creeping myrtle) has grown (a little) over the years, but been struggling down a north slope. Lily of the valley will work around her deck area, but spreading VERY slowly. I purposely planted a sweet autumn clematis (paniculata) just to see how invasive it can be. I doubt it will survive and/or thrive. We do have some native weed of sorts in patches in the lawn which resembles a green, creeping jenny but we leave it because it's better than just plain dirt or failing-looking, patchy grass and it stays low to the ground. Her buttercup is still very slow to spread in her part-sun back rose garden. Spread like 3' dia in several yrs. We have a place to fill with something low between the west house wall and fence that will fair well (with no watering) and/or deal with regular lawn mowings. Was looking at tansy. Just want something that didn't fly over spans to faraway beds. But I can't STAND any wild violets in my flower beds, though. I moved away from the stuff at old house. It consumed all but some roses and bulbs no matter what I did to get them out. Pulled and dug for days to no avail. Then left bed to nature... and how ugly it got! Brought a few plants with me to my mom's house and nabbing any and all violet sprouts I see popping up around them. I wanted to refresh this thread for this list anyways. Maybe I can get suggestions along the way... Otherwise, great read!
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cynandjon
15 years ago
I have wormwood. Its extremly invasive.It has killed many of my garden plants.I tried to remove it but it keeps comming back.
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hunt4carl
15 years ago
And THIS, my friends, is one of the reasons GW is so very
valuable. . .

At a big garden center sale last week, I spotted this terrific foliage plant, perfect for an empty spot in my
yellow/orange/red border - you guessed it, Artemesia
'Oriental Limelight' - but now you've saved me from
releasing a thug in my garden which could have ruined a pretty huge planting! Usually, I'm very cautious about
new (and unfamiliar) plants, but my neutral past experiences with other Artemsia's almost did me in. Like
the original poster, I'm going to put in an old barrel planter and just enjoy my $2.50 investment for the rest of the season. . .and then DESTROY it! Curiously enough, the
tag on my plant stated it grew 3'-5' tall, a far cry from
all the other heights reported above. . .
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cosmolover
15 years ago
I'm going out on limb here. I have "Silver Mound". I love it!! Nice neat mound. Beautiful silvery foliage. Smells great. Does not spread. If the mound gets too big, I divide in the fall and put somewhere else that I need a great low filler. You can also prune it as well and make it nice and neat if it gets too tall. I do agree that the Artemesia mentioned above can be invasive but the Silver Mound has been great for me. I have had it in my gardens for 10 years or more. Good Luck though with whatever you decide. Take care.

Cosmolover
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tasymo
15 years ago
I think it really depends on what variety (there are many) of Artemesia you have, and where it's planted, and especially, what it is planted with. I have "Silver King", a very striking Artemesia, in a bed with several other plants that can easily hold their own, including Echinacea, Shasta Daisy, and Physistigia.
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laceyvail 6A, WV
15 years ago
Neither A. 'Silver Mound' or 'Powys Castle' (my favorite) are the least bit invasive. However, there are extremely invasive Artemisias, and 'Silver King','Silver Queen' and 'Oriental Limelight' are among the worst.
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nancyd
15 years ago
It's been my experience that there are uses for plants like this. I had a shady, dry (heavy clay soil) hill in the back corner of my yard that nothing would grow on - which actually was OK. But after a tree came down and the area got full sun, it's like the hill exploded from every weed seed that was lying in wait. In order to get something established quickly I cultivated some bishop's weed from my mom's yard and used every "invasive" (aka quick spreaders) plant I had in my beds. In reading some of these posts you'd think the devil himself invented bishop's weed - but you know, it works great in this spot. It has kept the weedy mess at bay and actually looks pretty good with everything in bloom. I love it there and it solved my dilemma. Every trait you wouldn't want in a plant in your beds is exactly what you want in a difficult spot.
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Artemisia invasion?

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laceyvail 6A, WV

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