Mother Nature's Montrose Garden: Plant of the Month (December) : Winterfat – Krascheninnikovia lanata [Ceratoides lanata]

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): backlit in winter
Mother Nature's Montrose Garden

In the best of worlds, a garden looks good all year long. While that’s not difficult in spring, summer and even fall, late fall and winter can present a gardening challenge. That’s why we’re grateful for those native plants that add a touch of winter interest – even when others are dormant. One such plant is our Plant of the Month, Winterfat or Winter Sage. The scientific name is pronounced krash-en-in-ee-KOV-ee-uh lan-AY-tuh.

The genus name, Krascheninnikovia, is a mouthful for those who don’t speak Russian. The name honors honors Stephan Petrovich Krascheninnikov (1713-1755), a Russian botanist and professor of Natural History, who explored eastern Siberia.[1] The other members of the genus are native to northern Asia or Eurasia. While formerly classed in the Goosefoot family (Chenopodioideae), the genus is now commonly placed in the subfamily Chenopodioideae of the family Amaranthaceae (the Amaranth Family). [2] Most members of the genus resemble our native Winterfat.

While we’re on the subject of names, Winterfat has an interesting history. It’s also commonly known as Lambstail, White Sage, Winter-sage, Feather-sage and Sweet sage, although not even distantly related to the sages (Salvia species). The species has been classed as Eurotia lanata (Pursh) Moq., Ceratoides lanata (Pursh) J.T. Howell, Ceratoides lanata var. ruinina S.L. Welsh, Ceratoides lanata var. subspinosa (Rydb.) J.T. Howell and Eurotia lanata var. subspinosa (Rydb.) Kearney & Peebles. It currently is accepted by U.S. taxonomists as Krascheninnikovia lanata, although some feel it’s better classed as Krascheninnikovia ceratoides ssp. lanata. [3] And some in the nursery trade still offer the plant as Ceratoides lanata. We’ll just have to see how the name game plays out!

Winterfat is widely distributed in arid plant communities from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada to western Nebraska, Colorado, west Texas, California and Washington. It’s found in most Colorado counties - from the eastern plains and Front Range to the westernmost parts of the Western Slope (Colorado Plateau region). In Colorado it’s a common shrub seen ‘on the plains and foothills, on open slopes, and in pinyon-juniper and sagebrush, 4000-9500 ft.’ [4]

You’ve likely observed it in the wild if you’ve done any exploring in the Western states. It grows from near sea level to 10,000 feet elevation in salt desert shrub, pinyon juniper, sagebrush/grass and near the edges of some forested plant communities in the Intermountain region. In the Southwest it can even be found growing in Joshua tree communities. That’s quite a variable range for a plant species!

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): plant growth habit

Winterfat is a small to medium-sized sub-shrub, 1-3 ft tall and spreading. It’s commonly sprawling in habit, but some varieties are more upright. In general, the sprawling forms are more herbaceous, and the upright forms more woody (makes sense). New branches sprout yearly (or after being browsed) from a woody crown and branch bases, so the plant increases in width. The older wood is gray-brown with exfoliating bark; newer branches appear silvery green due to dense hairs (trichomes).

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): foliage

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): new leaves

The leaves are alternate or in bunches (fascicles) (see above photos). The plant shows several adaptations to hot, dry conditions. For example, the leaf blades are linear to narrow lance shaped, with margins that are rolled under. Leaves remain on the plant during winter and are shed when new leaves grow in the spring or when the plant is water stressed. And as with the new branches, the leaves are densely covered with trichomes, helping to cool them.

Another water-conserving feature is seen in the plant’s root system. As with many shrubs from places with intermittent/variable precipitation, Winterfat has both a deep taproot and a system of shallow, fibrous roots that grow near the soil surface. The taproot is commonly 3-6 ft. in older plants, but even greater depths have been recorded. This complex root system allows plants to utilize precipitation when it occurs and survive on ground water in times of drought.

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): flowers

The flowers are wind pollinated and fairly inconspicuous (above). Most plants are monoecious (separate male and female flowers on the same plant) but some are dioecious (male and female flowers on different plants). The flowers grow on short stems that arise from the leaf axils (where leaves attach to stem). The male flowers are in small clusters, while the female flowers are spread along the stems (see above). Flowering occurs from mid-spring to summer.

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): plant with seeds

One of the attractive seasonal characteristics of Winterfat are the fluffy seeds. The seeds themselves are small; but the hairs make the seeds easy to see. Seeds are mostly wind distributed largely close to the mother plant (see below). The seeds have scant food reserves. That means that seeds must germinate the next spring to be viable. The seeds also provide food for sparrows and other seed-eating birds.

While we’re on the subject of food, Winterfat provides good winter browse for a range of animals including rabbits, antelope, deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. It is a nutritious and important source of food in the wilds. And if you have garden rabbits, they may assist you with winter ‘pruning’.

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): natural re-seeding

Winterfat is an easy-to-grow sub-shrub in the garden. It can be grown in USDA Zones 3-10, in just about any soil. Fortunately for those gardening in the Four Corners region, Winterfat tolerates soil pH from 6.5 to 9.0 (neutral to alkali). It likes full sun and can tolerate the heat. It also does fine with compacted soils and moderate salinity.

What it cannot tolerate is flooding. It is very drought tolerant, but can take weekly water in well-drained soils. It makes a great choice for those hard-to-water areas of the garden.

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): in fall garden

Why include Winterfat in your garden? We like it for its drought tolerance and forgiving nature. We also like that it provides winter sustenance for animals and birds. But Winterfat is important for its aesthetic attributes as well. In spring and summer, it provides fine-textured gray-green foliage that contrasts nicely with the darker green of shrubs and evergreens. In fall and winter, the colors tend to pink and silvery-gold. We particularly like them in front of the darker-foliage perennial sunflower species.

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): lovely fall color.

Winterfat is widely used as a rangeland restoration species – there are even cultivars developed for just that usage. In the garden, consider planting common Winterfat associates including shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia), fourwing saltbush (A. canescens), spiny hopsage (Grayia spinosa), greenmolly (Kochia americana), and black greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus). Winterfat also looks great with the native green rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), galleta (Hilaria jamesii), Needle-and-thread grass, western wheatgrass, black sagebrush (Artemisia nova) and the various other sagebrushes (Artemisia spp.).

Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata): contrasts well with
Purple coneflower, any time of the year

In winter, Winterfats fluffy seeds are an interesting and decorative element in the dormant garden. The stalks create contrast in dried flower arrangements. And if you’re interested in medicinal plants, Winterfat is a traditional medicinal species. Decoctions of the leaves have been used to treat fevers and a wide range of other ailments. A poultice of the roots is traditionally used to treat burns, rashes, boils and other skin ailments. Blackfoot Indians soaked leaves to create a hair wash. [refs 5-8]

In summary, you may not have considered Winterfat as an addition to your garden. It is a little ‘wilder’ looking than many garden favorites. But it does have lots going for it. It may be just the thing for a hot, dry area of the garden. And your wild friends will thank you on those cold winter days!