Mugwort

the herb of wormwood (Absinthii herba)

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is a tall perennial with pinnately divided leaves, dark green above and whitish felted beneath; that is how it is recognised even without flowers. It grows beside paths, on embankments, on ruins and on abandoned ground.

The flowering tips are gathered in July and August, while the flower buds are still closed; the upper third of the shoot is cut, without the hard stem. It is dried in the shade, in a thin layer.

Mugwort must not be confused with wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), which is greyish, more bitter and contains thujone; the names are alike, but the plants are not interchangeable. Mugwort is a bitter plant and is used in small quantities.

Use and evidence

There is not enough good clinical evidence for treating menstrual complaints, epilepsy, the nervous system or the digestive tract.