Mugwort

Mugwort is a tall herbaceous perennial with a woody root. The leaves are smooth with a dark green tint on the upper surface, but covered with a dense cottony down beneath. The erect stem often has a red-purplish tinge. Adaptable to most soils and conditions.

It has been known since ancient times with a multitude of medicinal uses, it is one of the nine Saxon magic herbs and a traditional ingredient in the medieval witches formula for flying ointment. Mugwort has a mellow sage-like aroma and has strong bittering properties. Long before hops became the just about the only herb used to make beer, many different herbs and spices were used, and Mugwort was often the brewer’s choice.

Closely allied to the Artemisia absinthe but is distinguished by the leaves being white on the under-surfaces and by the leaf segments being pointed, not blunt. It lacks the essential oil of the Wormwood.

In the kitchen it is used to flavour fish and poultry dishes and medicinally a folk remedy for nausea, PMS and vomiting .

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