Sheffield's Seed Company Page

Looking for a multipurpose herb that aids digestion, adds flavor to food, and has medicinal properties? Look no further than Artemisia vulgaris. Also known as mugwort, Chrysanthemum Weed, Felon Herb, Old Uncle Henry, Sailor's Tobacco, St. John's Plant, and Wild Wormwood, this herb has a long history of use as both a culinary and medicinal herb. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, adding an aromatic, somewhat bitter flavor that complements fatty foods. Mugwort has also been shown to help with pain relief, fever, and as a diuretic agent. This tall, erect perennial plant with woody roots produces yellow or dark red flowers from mid-summer to early autumn. Native to Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and Alaska, it can be found in nitrogenous soils in uncultivated areas like waste places and roadsides. Mugwort has also been used as one of the flavoring agents in gruit ales, adding its unique bitter taste to fermented grain beverages. Butterflies and moths, such as Ostrinia scapulalis, also feed on the leaves and flowers of this versatile herb.