Wormwood – Artemisia Absinthium – (Mugwort) 2 litres

Artemisia absinthium is grown as an ornamental plant and is used as an ingredient in the spirit absinthe as well as some other alcoholic beverages.

Also known as Wormwood its a herb that’s prized for its distinctive aroma, herbaceous flavour, and purported health benefits. The plant and the oil that comes from it have also been used to ease digestion and swelling in the body. It has the characteristic grayish white downy leaves common to the artemisias and small yellow flower buds, and grows as a weed along fences and roadsides. It was traditionally used as a bitter tonic and carminative to support healthy appetite levels and gastrointestinal function, and a healthy flora balance in the digestive tract. The plants in the Artemisia family are known for their extreme bitterness, which was used to stimulate secretions from the gastrointestinal tract and liver. It was often used to cleanse the digestive tract of parasites and toxins during febrile illness. Wormwood was also used to support the nervous system when taken in small amounts. It was used as a chief ingredient in the notorious preparation of absinthe liqueur, to which the name absinthium refers. It was once believed that the psychotropic activity and toxicity of absinthe were due to the thujone content, however modern analysis has demonstrated that only minor amounts of this compound were present, and the effects may have been due to the copper and antimony adulterants as well as the high ethanol content.

The strongly scented leaves of this deters aphids & flea beetles from neighbouring plants.

Please note that a medical herbalist should be consulted if using any plant as a medicine and this plant is toxic in large doses.

We hope the pagan community will be interested in this.