Back Dune/ Dusty Miller

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.