Description
Artemisia – Mugwort – Sagebrush – Wormwood
There are about 300 species of evergreen, or deciduous shrubs, and perennials, herbs and annuals, in this genus. They’re found in semi arid fields, prairies and scrub in the Northern Hemisphere with a few from South Africa and Western South America. Their grown for their alternate, variable shaped often pinnatisect, aromatic, palest gray to silver, coated with whitish hairs leaves that repel insects. It produces cylindrical white or yellowish flower heads up to 3/8” wide, occasional solitary but more commonly in terminal panicles or racemes that are of little interest.
Grow these quite frost hardy plants in well-drained fertile soil in full sun although they can withstand hot dry areas and considerable drought. Cut down to base in autumn, cut shrubby species back hard in spring to maintain a compact habit and stimulate new growth. Divide in spring or in autumn.
Prone to White rust, downy mildew, powdery mildew, rust and variety of other fungal leaf and stem diseases are common.
Artemisia abrotanum – Lad’s Love – Old Man – Southernwood – This erect deciduous to semi-evergreen frost hardy shrub grows 3-5’ feet tall and in breadth. It produces highly aromatic erect brittle pinnatisect to 3 pinnatisect gray-green leaves to 2” long with thread-like lobes with gray hairs on the undersides. In late summer it bears small yellowish gray flowers in dense panicles to 4-12” long. Due to its brittle leaves take care in positioning.
Zones 4-9
