Wormwood, Absinthium.
Artemisia absinthium

Family: Asteraceae or Compositae

What it is like

Wormwood, a perennial ornamental plant used as an ingredient in the spirit absinthe, has a long history of use as a medicinal herb. It is valued especially for its tonic effect on the liver, gallbladder and digestive system, and for its vermicidal activity. The leaves can be used as a flavouring. The fresh or dried shoots are said to repel insects and mice. Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Late summer. Form: Upright or erect. Other names: absinthe wormwood, Louisiana Artemisia, Cudweed, Western Mugwort, White Sage, Wormwood, Absinthe

Artemisia absinthium is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.6 m (2ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Waste land, rocks and screes.

Temperate regions of Europe and Asia, including Britain, north to Lapland and Siberia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Leaves are occasionally used as a flavouring. Caution is advised, prolonged use is known to have a detrimental effect - see the notes above on toxicity. Absinthe - a distilled, highly alcoholic drink usually produced in France, Switzerland, Australia, Spain, and the Czech Republic.

Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Medicine

Rating: 3

Wormwood is a very bitter plant with a long history of use as a medicinal herb. It is valued especially for its tonic effect on the liver, gallbladder and digestive system, and for its vermicidal activity. It is an extremely useful medicine for those with weak and under-active digestion. It increases stomach acid and bile production, improving digestion and the absorption of nutrients. It also eases wind and bloating and, if taken regularly, helps the body return to full vitality after a prolonged illness. The leaves and flowering shoots are anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitumor, carminative, cholagogue, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hypnotic, stimulant, stomachic, tonic and vermifuge. The plant is harvested as it is coming into flower and then dried for later use. Use with caution, the plant should be taken internally in small doses for short-term treatment only, preferably under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. It should not be prescribed for children or pregnant women. See also the notes above on toxicity. The extremely bitter leaves are chewed to stimulate the appetite. The bitter taste on the tongue sets off a reflex action, stimulating stomach and other digestive secretions. The leaves have been used with some success in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. The plant is applied externally to bruises and bites. A warm compress has been used to ease sprains and strained muscles. A homeopathic remedy is made from the leaves. It is used to stimulate bile and gastric juice production and to treat disorders of the liver and gall bladder.

Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.

Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.

Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.

Appetizer: Improves the appetite

Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.

Cholagogue: Increases the flow of bile and its discharge from the body.

Emmenagogue: Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Homeopathy: A plant used in homeopathic treatments.

Hypnotic: Induces sleep.

Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Vermifuge: Expels and kills internal parasites.

Other

Rating: 2

The fresh or dried shoots are said to repel insects and mice, they have been laid amongst clothing to repel moths and have also been used as a strewing herb. An infusion of the plant is said to discourage slugs and insects. The plant contains substances called sesquiterpene lactones, these are strongly insecticidal.

Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.

Strewing: Plants, usually aromatic, that are strewn on the floor to give a nice smell, repel insects etc.

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Border, Ground cover, Seashore. Succeeds in any soil but it is best in a poor dry one with a warm aspect. Established plants are very drought tolerant. Plants are longer lived, more hardy and more aromatic when they are grown in a poor dry soil. Easily grown in a well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline loamy soil, preferring a sunny position. Prefers a shady situation according to another report. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.8 to 8.2. Wormwood is occasionally grown in the herb garden, there are some named forms. The growing plant is said to inhibit the growth of fennel, sage, caraway, anise and most young plants, especially in wet years. Wormwood is a good companion for carrots, however, helping to protect them from root fly. This herb was at one time the principal flavouring in the liqueur 'Absinthe' but its use has now been banned in most countries since prolonged consumption can lead to chronic poisoning, epileptiform convulsions and degeneration of the central nervous system. The scent of the plant attracts dogs. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer. Special Features: Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Naturalizing, Suitable for dried flowers.

Propagating it: Seed - surface sow from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates within 2 - 26 weeks at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. They can be planted out in the summer, or kept in pots in a cold frame for the winter and then planted out in the spring. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Division in spring or autumn.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 4-9

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

The plant is poisonous if used in large quantities. Even small quantities have been known to cause nervous disorders, convulsions, insomnia etc. Just the scent of the plant has been known to cause headaches and nervousness in some people. The plant contains thujone. In small quantities this acts as a brain stimulant but is toxic in excess. Avoid if prone to seizures. Avoid during pregnancy & breast feeding. Absinthism adverse effects include hallucinations, insomnia, loss of intellect, psychosis, tremor & seizures .

This plant can be weedy or invasive. Noxious Weed Information: Colorado (absinth wormwood) B list (noxious weeds). North Dakota (absinth wormwood) Noxious weed. Washington (absinth wormwood) Class C noxious weed.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Absinthium officinale Brot. Artemisia pendula Salisb.. Artemisia rhaetica Brügger.