Photo: Wasim Muklashy.

Understanding Central Oregon's Sagebrush Grasslands

Mar 06, 2025 by Kiyomi Appleton Gaines
Steppe? Prairie? Meadow? Our sagebrush grasslands go by many names, but whatever you call it, this land is important to our region!

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In Central Oregon we have a fascinating and changing natural environment. We can spend the morning skiing in the mountains and be hiking in our sprawling sagebrush grasslands by the afternoon!

Grasslands grow in areas where there isn’t enough rainfall to support a forest, but there’s more precipitation than is needed by a desert. Grasslands often form between the forest and the desert and, as you would expect, are made up mostly of grasses with shrubs and few trees.

Temperate grasslands, like those in the United States, are often called prairies or steppes. A prairie usually refers to land that grows taller grasses, while a steppe typically refers to an area with shorter grasses. But “prairie” comes from an Old French word that just means meadow, and “meadow” is a cultural term, rather than a technical one, that refers to… grasslands!

And the sagebrush that these grasslands take their name from are the dominant shrub in the region.

Sagebrush is found across our region, including at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Wasim Muklashy.
Sagebrush is found across our region, including at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Wasim Muklashy.
Sagebrush has a beautiful silver-blue-green “sage” color and spicy scent. It’s an evergreen shrub, which means it doesn’t shed its leaves in the fall. Sagebrush plants can grow up to nine feet tall, though most of the plants you see on a hike won’t be that big. These plants have small yellow flowers in the summer that are wind pollinated, rather than pollinated by wildlife.

Sagebrush is not actually sage. Although both plants have a history of use by humans in teas and tonics, sage, or Salvia, that you might have in your kitchen or garden, is a member of the mint family, and sagebrush (Artemisia) is part of the sunflower family. Some species of Artemisia, also called wormwords because of their bitter taste, are used to make absinthe and vermouth.

Whatever you decide to call it, our sagebrush lands are home to an abundance of plant and animal species that are uniquely adapted to this area.

The greater sage grouse depends on sagebrush for both food and shelter throughout their lifecycle. Sage grouse populations have declined due to habitat fragmentation and loss of enough sagebrush dominant grasslands. Many other of our beloved native species are also reliant on healthy sagebrush grasslands to thrive, making it especially important to conserve and protect these beautiful areas of Central Oregon!

 

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