NATURE
A Look At Four Shrubs That Are Native to Northern Nevada
Big Sagebrush, Rubber Rabbitbrush, Ephedra, and Fourwing Saltbush
I decided to take advantage of our nice weather, so I went for a walk on one of our nearby trails. My husband was home watching football, so I didn’t feel guilty about leaving the dogs behind for a couple hours. I wanted to spend some time outside in the sunshine.
I started paying attention to some of the shrubs that cover our landscape. I normally take them for granted, but the light was hitting them just right and I couldn’t resist taking some pictures.
A light breeze picked up and I felt the familiar irritation in my nose. I’m allergic to Nevada’s State Flower, the Big Sagebrush. Even in winter, the breeze stirred up enough pollen for me to notice.
Parts of this trail had Big Sagebrush that is taller than I am (at 5'3" that’s not hard to do). Its scientific name is Artemisia tridentata, referring to the shape of its three-lobed leaves. It belongs to the Asteraceae, or Sunflower, Family.
