Common Names
Mugwort, Common Mugwort

Botanical Name
Artemisia vulgaris

Plant Family
Asteraceae (Daisy Family)

Native Range
Mediterranean and parts of Eurasia and Africa.

Life Cycle
Perennial

Hardiness Zone
4-10

Habit
Mugwort plants are perennial and can grow over 6ft tall given the right conditions. Dark green pinnate leaves are silvery on the underside.

Sun/Soil
Full sun, well-drained soil.

Germination/Sowing
Seeds germinate easily and can be direct sown in fall or spring, or started in flats in the spring and then transplanted out. 

Growing/Care
Little care needed. Drought tolerant. Can be cut back after flowering.

Harvesting
The leafy stems and flowers of Mugwort are best harvested at their peak of potency when the plants are in early bud. In the PNW this is in July and August. The herb can be used fresh or dried and made into cold or hot infusions, tinctured, or infused into honey or vinegar.

Culinary Uses
Mugwort has been used in the past as a brewing herb for the production of fermented alcoholic beverages such as beer or mead. The common name can be translated as Mug (as in cup) and Wort (meaning herb), referring to this use. 

Medicinal Uses
I find Artemisa vulgaris to be one of the more gentler Artemisias. Its leaves are more delicate and not as strongly aromatic as other species. The silvery undersides of Mugwort’s leaves are symbolically linked to the Moon, and its character reflects that of the Moon: mysterious, subtle, deep and feminine. It is a herb for reflecting, dreaming, gentle movement and ease of vision.

Mugwort is energetically warm, dry, and bitter. The tincture can be taken before meals to increase ‘digestive fire’. The tea can also be useful for this, and the gentle volatile oils contained in the herb also help as a carminative to aid in digestion.

It is also a great emmenagogue, useful when there is bloating and sluggishness and irritability. A specific for cold and congested tissues, a tea made from the leaves can be used as a pelvic steam to help bring warmth and circulation to the reproductive organs, helping to increase fertility, and help relieve pain due to menstrual disorders. Its nervine action is grounding and fortifying and eases symptoms associated with PMS.

Themes
Apothecary Garden, Low Maintenance, Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Attracts Pollinators, Container Garden, Cut Flowers.