Prairie sage has aromatic silver foliage and inconspicuous flowers. In full sun it has a strong upright form, while shady conditions result in a more relaxed silhouette. This plant behaves as a ground cover, spreading aggressively by underground stems. Because of its assertive nature, prairie sage will crowd out most perennials. It needs to be planted where it can spread freely, or placed with woody shrubs and grasses. It is also an ideal understory plant for native trees. In cold climates prairie sage will go dormant. Prairie sage works well in full sun or part shade, handles high or low amounts of irrigation, tolerates saline soils, and is useful in erosion control. This adaptable plant occurs from low deserts up to 8000-foot elevations throughout the Southwest and into Mexico.