Native To Western United States
Also known as Chinese Wormwood, Wormwood, Capillaris and Yen Chen Hao, Artemisia is a plant that is typically known for its herbal features. It is a bushy perennial, which reaches between two and four feet high. It is typically found in East Asia, including Taiwan, Japan, and northern China. It is mostly used for it aromatic foliage. The Artemisia features tiny, yellow-white flowers, which are typically discarded because it is the plant’s other qualities that are valued.
The broken tips are commonly used by herbalists for a wide range of medications although some have dismissed it as dangerous perhaps due to a lack of understanding about wormwood. Herbal teas and tinctures are one way in which the herb is used by Chinese medical doctors for its anti-microbial properties and its ability to produce bile in the liver to help with certain medical conditions. Medicinal purposes of Artemisia include treatment of bladder and parasitic infections, urinary tract infections, malaria, river blindness and constipation and diarrhea. It has been found to soothe inflammation, aid in digestion, and increase nutrient circulation as well as help alleviate abdominal cramps and stomach pain. Additionally, Artemisia has been found to help with hepatitis and jaundice due to its ability to boost liver cell regeneration as well as assist the spleen and the gallbladder.
Growing Recommendations - Artemisia
Artemisia is very easy to grow. It thrives in both slightly alkaline, loamy soil as well as in well-drained soils where it can be exposed to regular sunlight over the span of the entire day. Artemisia is considered a hardy plant, so it can tolerate drought and conditions where there is low moisture. In fact, Artemisia grown in poor, dry soils actually live longer and are considered to be hardier. Additionally, these have delivered a higher aromatic quality than those in good quality soils. Artemisia is considered so hardy that it can tolerate very low temperatures. Artemisia is propagated through the use of seeds, which are sown on the surface of the soil around early summer within a greenhouse environment. When the seeds germinate and the seedlings become large enough, they are picked and sorted into individual pots where they can be planted throughout the summer season. Plants are then grown from cuttings and placed in a frame throughout July and August and then divided up during the autumn or spring seasons.
Another feature of Artemisia is that they are resistant to what is known as the honey fungus, which commonly affects a wide range of similar plants. Animals that browse foliage are not interested in this plant, and they are not highly impacted by other pests as well.