Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) Guide: How To ID and Grow Wormwood (Benefits)

Image Credit: AnRo0002¹⁰

How To Identify Wormwood

How to identify Wormwood plants begins with the smell. The pungent but sage-like smell is an upright shrub plant with hairy and smooth leaves.

According to the Kings County Noxious Weed Control Program,² the taproot has several clusters of upright grooved stems.

Wormwood Leaves

The Wormwood leaves are a greenish-silver color that blooms into yellow flowers in the late summer or early fall season. The smell is similar to sage; the Wormwood leaves are larger on top of the bush and smaller in the lower part of the plant.

The greenish silver leaves can grow up to 3 inches long. These heirloom plant leaves are used not only to decorate your home’s backyard, it will bring a desert beauty that is also used for tea at its freshest time of the year.

Wormwood Flower

The Wormwood flower may not have the same beauty as its cousin, the daisy flower, but it does add to the atmosphere. The yellowish-green flower blooms in late July, depending on the location.

The Wormwood flowers are not very big and grow up to ⅛ diameter of their circle flower radiance.

Wormwood Seeds

The Wormwood seeds are tiny and versatile. Whether you decide to grow your plant from Artemisia absinthium plant inside your home or out, growing it from seed is not very difficult.

Growing a Wormwood From a Seed, Cutting or Seedling

The plush Wormwood plant can be grown from a seed, cutting, or seeding. Often associated with desert or rock gardens, but the best growing conditions for Wormwood are the following:

• Plant in the Spring
• Full sun
• Well-drained soil

Although the Wormwood plant can be grown in partial shade, full sun is highly desired.

This Artemisia plant is not picky about the soil; it can grow in alkaline, acidic, and just about any poor soil.

Growing Wormwood by Seed

There are many Wormwood species. North Carolina State Extension reports it is estimated that there are 300 species in the Artemisia herbaceous family.³

Some Wormwood plants are hybrids, so growing the seed may or may not produce the exact species of the parent plant. Whether growing your Wormwood in a container or in the soil in your home garden, all that is required is the following:

• Choose a sunny location
• Place Wormwood seed ½ inch deep in your soil
• Water soil weekly

The Wormwood seed germinates for approximately four weeks. If you decide to grow your Artemisia plant indoors, be sure to wait until the root is strong.

Transplanting your plant outside within 10-12 weeks is recommended.

Growing Wormwood by seed is easy with low maintenance. However, check with your local nursery or college extension for the best water schedule and if your local soil requires fertilizer.

Growing Wormwood by Cutting

Growing Wormwood by cutting in a garden bed is a good idea. Many green thumb enthusiast buy their cutting from a trusted nursery or online.

If you’re not new to landscape gardening, cut the plant from an existing Wormwood plant in the early summer months.

Make sure to remove leaves from the tip of the Artemisia plant cutting prior to planting. The Wormwood cutting may need a rooting hormone, preferably an organic alternative.

Check with your local nursery or college extension to learn more about whether or not your location requires the cutting to be planted in sandy compost to help it grow roots. These cuttings should be placed in a garden bed prior to being planted outside.

Sun and water are essential for growing Wormwood by cutting. The watering needs for Wormwood plants will vary for your cutting according to your location.

Checking the soil to ensure it’s not dry is essential. The roots of your new plant may begin to be seen within two weeks.

Growing Wormwood by Seedling

Growing Wormwood by seedling starts after the seeds have grown roots and eventually seedlings. Wormwood seedlings can be purchased or grown organically from seed.

Once your Wormwood plant has grown seedlings and roots have hardened, the Artemisia plant can be planted outside.

Best Growing Conditions for Wormwood

Because the Wormwood seed needs plenty of sun, the best growing condition for Wormwood may start indoors. But growing a Wormwood plant in a garden bed with well-drained soil outside is also very adequate.

(Image: Adam Kranz⁷)

The best planting tips for Wormwood gardens vary by the Artemisia species and location. Check with your local college extension or botanist to ensure you’re on the right track.

Wormwood Growing Zone

According to Cornell University, growing zones for Wormwood where to grow are restricted to zones 4-9.⁴

However, depending on the Artemisia absinthium cultivar, it can grow in zone 3. The Wormwood plant prospers in dry soil.

Wormwood Growth Rate

Depending on who you ask, some may consider the Wormwood growth rate between fast and medium. Location and region matter, as the Wormwood plant needs a lot of sun.

According to South Dakota State University, if a Wormwood plant starts growing in the preferred month of April, this plant can grow up to 12 inches by mid-May.⁵

Companion Plants For Growing Wormwood

Besides keeping flies and aphids at bay, there are few companion plants for growing Wormwood. The absinthium in the Wormwood plant is what holds the toxins in the Wormwood plant, which makes it unattractive to most plant and animal life.

However, herbs such as Rosemary and the sage tree like to have Wormwood neighbors nearby. The chrysanthemum flower is in the Asteraceae family and is also a great companion plant for Wormwood plants to add to your backyard garden.

How To Stop Wormwood Disease

How to stop Wormwood disease starts with where it’s planted. Wormwood disease prevention can ensure that Artemisia absinthium is provided quality care by pruning wilted leaves and cleaning the surrounding area of fallen foliage.

Because of the Wormwood plant’s resiliency and being a true insect repellant, common pests of the Wormwood plant are fungal issues.

These fungal diseases include:

• Downy Mildew
• Powdery Mildew
• White Rust

Downy mildew usually grows due to excess moisture. The infected downy mildew leaves will appear with greenish-yellow spots on the Wormwood plant.

Powdery mildew appears on the Wormwood leaves as a grayish-white powder.

White rust appears as several white spots of pustules or blisters on the Wormwood leaves. However, white rust is not so white in the beginning.

When a plant is infected with white rust initially, the appearance looks like yellow spots.

The natural pest control for Wormwood is Neem oil and other natural options like baking soda. However, using these natural pest controls for fungal prevention starts with early detection.

It’s possible to prevent fungal disease by planting the Wormwood plant in airy soil. But if the Artemisia plants are infected with any of the above fungi, they may have to be removed to ensure they do not infect any Wormwood plant neighbors.

Wormwood Benefits

If you live in an area with various animals, such as deer, rabbits, and other pests, that will avoid your home garden. The natural fragrance of the Common Wormwood is a deterrent for animals and most insects to nibble in your home garden.

(Image: Вилина Петрова (vilinapetrova)⁸)

Depending on who you ask, the Wormwood symbolism involves bitterness from religious texts and desired growth in Shakespearian writings.

The symbolism may represent keeping negativity away, as for certain gardens such as tomatoes and onions, the smell of Wormwood plants in the borders of these vegetable gardens would do just that.

Most Artemisia absinthium cultivars are low maintenance. The plant can thrive in poor soil and needs less water than most ornamental plants.

You’ve heard about alcoholic beverages being made from Wormwood extracts. Maybe you are asking yourself, does Wormwood offer health benefits?

It does, and Wormwood plants have been used for holistic healing for centuries.

Artemisia absinthium for Medicinal Purposes

Using Artemisia absinthium for medicinal purposes is common. This herb plant is primarily used for the following ailments:

• Digestive issues
• Gall bladder challenges
• Lower blood pressure

According to the University of Texas at El Paseo, German researchers are convinced that the Wormwood plant relieves stomach ailments.⁶ But like any herb, checking with your doctor is the first step before making an herbal tea from the leaves of the Artemisia plant.

Can You Eat a Wormwood Plant?

You may have heard that Wormwood plants are edible to a certain degree. However, because the Wormwood plant is considered toxic, you must be careful.

So, if you’re wondering if you can eat a Wormwood plant, the answer is a little complicated.

(Image: Tengyart⁹)

Many make tea out of the Wormwood leaves. However it is recommended to check with your medical provider first and a professional herbalist.

The Wormwood plant is bitter and very powerful in the Asteraceae family and can irritate your skin; gloves are usually the suggested protection for your hands.

Artemisia Plant (Wormwood Facts)

Some of the most surprising Artemisia plant (Wormwood facts) are the many uses for this ornamental plant. It’s been a naturalized plant for over 50 years and is also considered one of those heirloom plants, as described by the Birmingham Historical Society.¹

The natural habitat for a Wormwood plant is North Africa, Asia, and Europe. Canada appreciates this Absinthium herb that is still used for strong alcoholic beverages and wines.

Before you think about which teas or alcoholic beverages you may have consumed with this powerful herb, they are incredible to look at in your home garden.

The versatility that the Wormwood plant helps novice gardeners in choosing indoor or outdoor options with containers, garden beds, and planting pots.

But each gardener must be warned that the Wormwood leaves and flowers are toxic to children and pets, so when planting, keep this in mind.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wormwood