Garden Ghost Artemisia
Garden Ghost Artemisia
Bold, Shimmering Silver Foliage for Sunny Borders
Garden Ghost Artemisia (Artemisia 'Garden Ghost') is grown for its striking, deeply cut, silvery-white foliage that forms a large, shimmering presence in the sunny border. Taller and bolder than most artemisias, it makes a dramatic foil for hot-colored flowers and a cooling accent in evening light. Tough, drought-tolerant, and deer-resistant, it shrugs off heat and lean soil to brighten Edina, Maple Grove, and Woodbury gardens with little fuss.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Artemisia 'Garden Ghost' |
| Mature Size | 2.5–3.5 ft tall and wide |
| Hardiness Zone | Zone 4–9 (hardy across most of Minnesota) |
| Light | Full sun |
| Grown For | Silvery-white deeply cut foliage |
| Soil | Lean, well-drained; dislikes wet soil |
| Special Traits | Deer resistant, drought tolerant |
Landscape Uses
Use Garden Ghost as a bold silver accent in sunny borders, gravel and Mediterranean-style gardens, and mixed plantings where it cools and unifies hot colors. It pairs beautifully with coneflowers, salvia, and ornamental grasses.
Best Time to Plant
Plant in spring or early fall in a sunny, well-drained spot.
How to Plant
Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Set the crown level with the soil, backfill (avoid rich, heavy soil), water in, and mulch lightly. Good drainage is essential.
Watering
First Year: Water deeply once a week to establish, avoiding soggy soil.
After Year One: Little supplemental water needed; it's highly drought tolerant and dislikes wet feet.
Drip Irrigation: Use sparingly; artemisia thrives on the dry side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it flower?
It's grown for its foliage; any flowers are insignificant and often trimmed off to keep the plant tidy.
Will it tolerate dry soil?
Yes, it's very drought tolerant and prefers lean, well-drained conditions.
Is it hardy in Minnesota?
Yes, hardy to Zone 4 and reliable across most of the state.
Is it deer resistant?
Yes, the aromatic silver foliage is reliably deer-resistant.
You May Also Like
Pair Garden Ghost with coneflowers, salvia, and ornamental grasses, or our compact Silver Mound artemisia for a low-water, deer-resistant border.
How Many Garden Ghost Artemisia Do I Need?
This is a large, bold artemisia spaced about 30 inches apart as a silver accent or low massing. Use this guide for a border run:
| Run / Bed Length | Plants Needed (at 30 in spacing) |
|---|---|
| 10 ft | 4 plants |
| 20 ft | 8 plants |
| 30 ft | 12 plants |
| 40 ft | 16 plants |
It also shines as a single specimen — one plant makes a 2.5–3.5 ft shimmering mound on its own.
Garden Ghost Artemisia Season-by-Season in Minnesota
- Spring: Silvery-white, deeply cut foliage emerges and quickly builds a bright mound.
- Summer: Peak silver foliage cools and unifies hot-colored neighbors; flowers are insignificant and often sheared off.
- Fall: Foliage holds its silver color and keeps working as a foil into autumn.
- Winter: Cut the plant back after it goes dormant; it overwinters as a hardy crown to Zone 4.
At a Glance
✔ Deer-Resistant ✔ Drought-Tolerant
Plant It With
- Granada Gold Coneflower — hot-gold daisies that glow against the silver foliage
- Dark Matter Salvia — deep-purple spikes for a classic silver-and-purple pairing
- Little Bluestem — native grass that echoes the airy, drought-tough texture
- Autumn Fire Sedum — drought-loving partner with rosy fall flower heads
Is Garden Ghost Artemisia Right for Your Yard?
Garden Ghost thrives in full sun with lean, sharply drained soil where it shrugs off heat and drought — perfect for gravel beds and hot borders in Edina, Maple Grove, and Woodbury. Not a fit if the soil is rich, heavy, or wet, which causes the silver foliage to flop and the crown to rot.