Dusty Miller: Not Just an Awesome Name for a Seventies Guitarist

What Kind Of Native And Invasive Plants Are Growing In The Dunes Of Delaware

“Hey Andrew, What’s that bright silver stuff in the dunes?”
“It’s called Dusty Miller, it’s actually invasive.”
“I have Dusty Miller in my garden, that doesn’t look anything like it. What’s an invasive?

This exchange and similar ones occur frequently, so let’s answer the question first. Invasive species are non-native (they don’t historically occur in an area) plants, animals, and other organisms that negatively impact their environment after their introduction to a new region. Invasive species replace native organisms, impacting the food web and the entire ecosystem.

The important thing to remember is that an invasive species is often introduced by accident, but when it finds a new niche, it can propagate very quickly. Once the ecosystem is out of balance, it can only recover with help. Removing the invasives is the only remedy.

So what about that Dusty Miller? Often times common names are used for different plants. The Dusty Miller we have in our dunes here in Delaware goes by many names including hoary mugwort (which sounds like the band Dusty is lead guitarist for), beach wormwood, and old woman. The actual Latin binomial is Artemisia stelleriana. It’s native to Asia and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It’s frequently found in garden centers, with several cultivars available like Boughton Silver, Nana, and Elsworth.

Andrew Hansen,
Wildlife/Forestry Conservationist, Naturalist