Mugwort (New York City EcoFlora Volunteer Guide)

Mugwort

Artemisia vulgaris

Summary ⁵

Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort or common wormwood) is one of several species in the genus Artemisia commonly known as mugwort, although Artemisia vulgaris is the species most often called mugwort. This species is also occasionally known as felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, wild wormwood, old Uncle Henry, sailor's tobacco, naughty man, old man or St. John's plant (not to be confused with St John's wort). Mugworts are used medicinally and as culinary herbs.

At the Garden ⁶

Mugwort is a common weed in NYC and is found in disturbed sites in the Garden, including around Twin Lakes.

Description ⁵

Artemisia vulgaris is a tall herbaceous perennial plant growing 1–2 m (rarely 2.5 m) tall, with a woody root. The leaves are 5–20 cm long, dark green, pinnate and sessile, with dense white tomentose hairs on the underside. The erect stems are grooved and often have a red-purplish tinge. The rather small florets (5 mm long) are radially symmetrical with many yellow or dark red petals. The narrow and numerous capitula (flower heads), all fertile, spread out in racemose panicles. It flowers from mid-summer to early autumn.

A number of species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) feed on the leaves and flowers.

Sources and Credits

(c) villelawvillelaw, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Carl Axel Magnus Lindman, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:18_Artemisia_vulgaris.jpg
(c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ArtemisiaVulgaris.jpg
(c) AfroBrazilian, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Artemisia_vulgaris_01.JPG
Adapted by bkmertz from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_vulgaris
(c) bkmertz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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Mugwort

Summary 5

At the Garden 6

Description 5