This article is about the plant most often known as mugwort in Europe, for similar species and uses, see Mugwort

Artemisia vulgaris Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Artemisia Species: A. vulgaris Binomial name Artemisia vulgaris

L. 1753 not C.B. Clarke 1882 nor Mattf. 1926 Synonyms[1] Synonymy Absinthium spicatum (Wulfen ex Jacq.) Baumg.

Artemisia affinis Hassk.

Artemisia apetala hort.pest. ex Steud.

Artemisia cannabifolia H.Lév.

Artemisia coarctata Forselles

Artemisia discolor Douglas ex DC.

Artemisia eriophora Ledeb.

Artemisia flodmanii Rydb.

Artemisia glabrata DC.

Artemisia heribaudii (Sennen) Sennen

Artemisia heyneana Wall.

Artemisia hispanica Stechm. ex Besser

Artemisia javanica Pamp.

Artemisia leptophylla D.Don

Artemisia leptostachya D.Don

Artemisia leucophylla (Ledeb.) Turcz. ex Pavlov 1929 not C.B. Clarke 1876

Artemisia longiflora Pamp.

Artemisia ludoviciana Besser 1834 not Nutt. 1818

Artemisia michauxii Besser

Artemisia officinalis Gaterau

Artemisia opulenta Pamp.

Artemisia paniculiformis DC.

Artemisia parviflora Wight

Artemisia rubriflora Turcz. ex Besser

Artemisia ruderalis Salisb.

Artemisia samamisica Besser

Artemisia selengensis Turcz. ex Besser

Artemisia superba Pamp

Artemisia tongtchouanensis H.Lév.

Artemisia violacea Desf.

Artemisia virens Moench

Artemisia vulgaris Burm.f. 1768 not L. 1753

Artemisia wallichiana Besser

Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort[2]) is one of several species in the genus Artemisia commonly known as mugwort, although Artemisia vulgaris is the species most often called mugwort. This species is also occasionally known as riverside wormwood,[3] felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, wild wormwood, old Uncle Henry, sailor's tobacco, naughty man, old man or St. John's plant (not to be confused with St John's wort).[4] Mugworts have been used medicinally and as culinary herbs.

Distribution [ edit ]

Artemisia vulgaris is native to temperate Europe, Asia, northern Africa and Alaska and is naturalized in North America,[5] where some consider it an invasive weed. It is a very common plant growing on nitrogenous soils, like weedy and uncultivated areas, such as waste places and roadsides.[6]

Uses [ edit ]

Traditionally, it was, and is, used as one of the flavoring and bittering agents of gruit ales, a type of non-hopped, fermented grain beverage.

Medicinal [ edit ]

Artemisia vulgaris is used for pain relief, treatment of fever and used as a diuretic agent.[7]

Description [ edit ]

Artemisia vulgaris is a tall herbaceous perennial plant growing 1–2 m (rarely 2.5 m) tall, with a woody root. The leaves are 5–20 cm long, dark green, pinnate and sessile, with dense white tomentose hairs on the underside. The erect stems are grooved and often have a red-purplish tinge. The rather small florets (5 mm long) are radially symmetrical with many yellow or dark red petals. The narrow and numerous capitula (flower heads), all fertile, spread out in racemose panicles. It flowers from mid-summer to early autumn.[8]

A number of species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) such as Ostrinia scapulalis feed on the leaves and flowers of the plant.[9]

Upper side of Artemisia vulgaris leaf

Lower side of Artemisia vulgaris leaf