This study aims to determine if there is a relationship between ploidy number and branching patterns in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata). Sage-grouse prefer to nest in U-shaped branching that is found in big sagebrush. However, some burned areas have regrown with V-shaped branching instead. The focus is on using flow cytometry to analyze the ploidy (number of sets of chromosomes) of sagebrush samples. Preliminary results found a nuclear DNA content lower than expected, possibly due to cell wall material interfering. Further optimization of the nuclei isolation procedure is needed to accurately determine ploidy levels and investigate impacts on branching patterns.