Wormwood

Description Propagation Cultivation Harvest

Artemis, goddess of the hunt, the forest, and children, gave her name to this plant.

Absinthium, Greek for "not sweet," refers to its bitter taste.

Wormwood, Common wormwood

Wormwood in early sources

All parts of this plant are toxic due to the presence of thujone, which can cause brain and liver damage. Expert distillers make absinthe, an anise-flavored liquor which was once believed to cause permanent mental illness. Later it was found that contaminants like copper sulfate and other heavy metals in absinthe were the real culprits. Today, absinthe is again legal in the U.S. In addition to its use in absinthe, Artemisia absinthium is also a flavoring agent in vermouth (whose name is a variant of wormwood) and some beers.

Description

Perennial, semi-woody

24" to 36" tall by 20" to 24" wide

Shrubby plant

Small, round, dull yellow flowers in plumed panicles

Deeply cut, downy, silvery green leaves, white on the underside; strongly scented

Prune in spring to encourage bushiness; in fall, cut back to 1"
 

Gather seed in late autumn

60-65 degrees F

30-60 days

Keep soil slightly moist until seeds germinate; avoid excessive wetness

Requires light to germinate

Cultivation

Light, well-drained soil

Tolerates drought; in rainy, humid climates may rot in the center

Full sun is best, but will tolerate light shade

Then as now, wormwood thrives "...in cultivated places, on downs, and in stony places..."

Anglo-Saxon Herbal (CII)

Can be invasive; is a noxious weed in Colorado, North Dakota, and Washington state.mWormwood can inhibit the growth of some neighboring plants, so site it carefully, or grow it in a pot.

Suffers from some rust and other fungal diseases, and also from mildew, especially in humid climates.

Has few insect pests; repels fleas, flies, mosquitoes, flea beetles

Flowers from July to October

Collect seed in late fall, or watch for volunteer seedlings in the spring, and transplant these

Wormwood in early sources