Wormwood

(Artemisia absinthium)

Other Names:
absinthe, absinthium, absinthe wormwood, grand wormwood, wormwood

Range:
Non-Native

Family:
Asteraceae - Aster or Composite Family

Growth Type:
Herbaceous perennial

Height:
Growing up to 2-4' in height

Leaves:
The leaves are spirally arranged, greenish-grey above and white below, covered with silky silvery-white trichomes, and bearing minute oil-producing glands; the basal leaves are up to 25 cm long, bipinnate to tripinnate with long petioles, with the cauline leaves (those on the stem) smaller, 5–10 cm long, less divided, and with short petioles; the uppermost leaves can be both simple and sessile (without a petiole)

Stem/Trunk:
Straight, grooved, branched, silver-green in color.

Root:
Fibrous root system

Flower Season:
Early summer to early autumn.

Flower Appearance:
Pale yellow, tubular flowers are clustered in sphere-shaped bent-down heads. These heads are clustered into branched panicles.

Seed/Fruit:
Fruit is a small achene.

Miscellaneous characteristics:
This plant is non-native. It has escaped cultivation, and has become naturalized across the northern United States and Canada.

Habitat:
Grows on uncultivated arid ground, on rocky slopes, and at the edge of footpaths and fields

Parts Used:
Arial parts of the plant

Culinary Uses:
This plant has been used as a flavoring in the production of the drink absinthe.

The following text is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or injury. Always consult with a physician or other qualified medical care provider concerning the diagnosis and treatment of any illness or injury.

Energetics
Taste: Bitter
Thermal: Warming
Humidity: Drying

Medicinal Uses:
Use for Amenorrhea, Anemia, Anorexia, Arthritis, Ascaris, Atonic Dyspepsia, Biliary disorders, Crohn's disease, Chronic Gastritis, Colic, Dysmenorrhea, Enterobius, Flatulence, Indigestion, Malabsorption, Nausea, Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis.

This plant is used as a bitter to counteract poor appetite and for IgA nephropathy. Extracts of A. absinthium have been shown to decrease TNF-a (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha). It functions in a manner similar to biologics like Humira®, Enbrel®, and Remicade®, etc.

Medicinal Actions:
Anthelmintic, Antiarthritic, Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antineoplastic, Antiparasitic, Antipsoriatic, Antirheumatic, Bitter, Carminative, Choleretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Immunomodulator, Nervine, Stomachic, Tonic: Kidney, Tonic: Uterine