Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
by Kaylee Steck
"I have a great feeling for mugwort and its ability to reveal paths and to protect people already on their path. (1)" - Christopher Hedley
Their English name, mugwort, may refer to the "mug plant," since they were used for brewing beer before hops.* If you'd like to try your own home brew, a mugwort lemon beer recipe can be found in Pascal Baudar's book, The New Wildcrafted Cuisine.
Common Names: mugwort, common wormwood, sailor's tobacco
Latin Name: Artemisia vulgaris
Plant Family: Compositae
Parts Used: Leaves
Botany: Mugwort is a common perennial plant that can grow up to 6 feet tall. Their dark green leaves are alternate with pointed edges. The underside of the leaves are white and downy. Clusters of small reddish-brown flowers hug the upper parts of their branches.
Habitat: They are native to the beaches of northeastern Asia and extreme northwestern North America but have spread throughout the northern hemisphere. (2)
Harvesting: The aerial parts can be removed and hung to dry. Mugwort will thrive with pruning, which encourages branching. Keep in mind that mugwort spreads easily, so you may consider planting them in containers.
Energetics: Bitter, pungent, heating
Actions: Emmenagogue, antispasmodic, hemostatic, diaphoretic, anthelmintic, antiseptic, cholagogue, nervine
Uses: In the Middle Ages, mugwort was believed to protect the traveler from evil spirits. In The Family Herbal (1812), John Hill writes that an infusion of the leaves promotes menses and calms hysteric complaints. Health from British Wild Herbs (1918) describes mugwort as an excellent female medicine for obstructed menstruation and useful for reducing swellings by bathing in a hot infusion. Indigenous American cultures recognize mugwort’s affinity for respiratory concerns and fever, and burn dried leaves to purify bad spirits. The downy leaves have been used in the practice of moxibustion in Japan and China. (3,4,5,6)
Mugwort's bitter pungent taste indicates some of their medicinal properties. Bitter is a common taste in herbs indicating anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and detoxifying actions. Bitter has a sedating effect on the body but can stimulate digestion in small amounts. Pungent taste comes from aromatic oils that encourage sweating, digestion, and circulation. The aromatic bitter quality of mugwort supports toning and gentle warming in the body. They can bring balance to slow and sluggish symptoms in the body, such as poor elimination and menstrual cramping. They can also calm nervousness and disturbed sleep, although they may cause nightmares or restless dreams.
Personal Experience: I work with mugwort in tea blends. A gentle aromatic, they pair nicely with peppermint to support cold slow digestion. Occasionally, I enjoy mugwort in a sleep blend with peppermint, chamomile, skullcap, and rosemary. Mostly though, mugwort, combined with ginger and pennyroyal, helps my body resolve cramping around menstruation.
Preparations: Tincture fresh, dry for oil and tea. Can be infused in vinegar, or dried and powdered. Sprigs under the pillow or hung near your bed for dreaming.
Contraindications: Avoid internal use during pregnancy.
*In this article, I use a personal pronoun (they/them) to refer to mugwort. I draw inspiration from other herbalists who have adjusted their vocabulary to shift our world view and encourage kinship with our living world. Robin Wall Kimmerer writes about this in her book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants.
Want more herbal goodness?
🌼Sign up for the HerbRally newsletter and receive these THIRTEEN herbal freebies!
VIDEO | Most Vital Herb in David Hoffmann’s First-Aid Kit
WEBINAR | Herbal First Aid with Heather Irvine
EBOOK | 86 Page Plant Healer Book
30 DAYS FREE | HerbRally Schoolhouse
EBOOK | Calendula for Radiant Skin by Rosalee de la Forêt
VIDEO | 5 Herbal Events Around the World presented by Bevin Clare
BOOK DISCOUNT | The Essential Guide to Western Botanical Medicine
PRIVATE COMMUNITY | HerbRally Facebook Group
BOOK EXCERPT | 36 Pages from Plant Healer's "Nourishing Foods" Book
DISCOUNT | 15% off all Mountain Rose Herbs products
DISCOUNT | Mushroom Revival
AUDIO | Hour-long Adaptogens Class with Heather Irvine
DISCOUNT | 10% off all HerbRally products
👉 CLAIM YOUR FREEBIES!
Kaylee is a certified fertility awareness educator and takes joy in helping people live in harmony with their cycles and achieve their fertility goals. Her work supports people in a variety of situations, including irregular cycles, breastfeeding, post hormonal contraception, and peri-menopause. To her work, she brings her love of herbs and kitchen remedies, which she first explored as a WWOOF apprentice on a farm in Massachusetts. She supports friends and family as part of her independent herbalist study and is grateful to the educational opportunities offered by Fox Haven Farm. For more information about Kaylee, visit her Instagram page @capitalfertilityawareness.
Resources:
(1) Hedley, Christopher. Artemisia vulgaris. Columbines Schools of Botanical Studies. http://botanicalstudies.net/herbalism/artemisia-vulgaris-hedley/. Accessed February 2, 2022.
(2) Artemisia vulgaris. Native Plant Trust Go Botany. https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/artemisia/vulgaris/. Accessed February 2, 2022
(3) Hill, John. The Family Herbal. Bungay, 1812.
(4) Hool, Richard Lawrence. Health from British Wild Herbs. W.H. Webb, 1918.
(5) Tierra, Michael. The Way of Herbs. Pocket Books, 1998.
(6) A Modern Herbal. Stone Basin Books, 2015.