Celebrate Artemisia: Herb of the Year 2014

Artemisia is herb of the year for 2014 and I am gearing up for growing them in my garden.

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Artemisia is herb of the year for 2014 and I am pitch up for growing them in my garden . Next weekend is the Medicinal Herb Fieldtrip and Workshop at the Ozark Folk Center , where I will be give a program on the medicative aspects of some artemisia … here are a few excerpts from my handout for the program . Why do n’t you try acquire a few of these easy - to - develop plants ? Celebrate Artemisia !

There are over 300 mintage of artemisia - most are herbaceous perennial - though there are some that are yearly , biennial and even subshrubs . These members of the Asteraceae are get in the wild in northern temperate area , South Africa and South America ; many of these plants are invasive . Most artemisia are recognized by their bitter spirit and gustation , which is due to the presence of thujone , which is a element of the explosive oil . caustic herbs induce the digestive tract - they cause the gastric juices to fall - which aids in digestion . Bitterness discourages graze herbivores . However , there are elision like sweet Annie and French tarragon , which have much fresh aromas due to other dominant chemical substance component and lack of thujone .

A. abrotanumSouthernwood

This perennial herbaceous plant , visit garderobe meaning “ closet ” in French , has long been cultivated for its purported power to rebuff moths and insects , as well as infection . It was used in tussie mussies ( picayune bouquet ) and carry outdoors and while traveling to protect from disagreeable olfactory property and infections ; it was even used in courtroom , along with rue , to protect the public from catching jail fever from those kept in prison house . It has been used to expel worm and to palliate coughs and congestion . In the past in Europe , the Modern maturation of acid shoots and leave were harvested to flavor concoction , beer and afternoon tea .

A. absinthiumWormwood

This is the artemisia of infamy due to its role in Artemisia absinthium . Sometimes touch on to as grand or greater wormwood , its Romance name , absinthium was used in times of onetime . Long used as an anthelminthic , wormwood was take internally to get disembarrass of worm and parasites . outwardly , it was applied to fungous infections like ringworm ; it is still used as an antifungal today in training for athlete ’s foot . The bitter flavor of wormwood has been employed in making beverages throughout history from bitters , beer , mead to many famous alcoholic sprightliness and liqueurs from common wormwood and vermouth to Benedictine and Drambuie . Absinthe is a distilled spirit made with a high alcohol content ( 100 - to 140- trial impression ) traditionally flavor with the botanicals wormwood , anise seed and fennel , although unlike brands might add other herbs .

A. annuaSweet Annie

This one-year artemisia is sometimes called annual wormwood , sweet wormwood or odoriferous Annie . It is fragrantly sweet and much used ornamentally to make lei ; a routine of people have supersensitive reaction to it when exposed to it for any length of time . Although it has been used for 100 in the East as an anti - malarial , in the seventy , Chinese studies disclose that this herb , contains artemisinin which has been studied and tested since then and has been found to be as efficacious as quinine in fighting malaria , especially against drug - immune strains . It is being actively used in Africa and Asia .

A. dracunculus‘Sativa ’ French Tarragon

Although we think of tarragon as a culinary herbaceous plant - and it is the star of French culinary art - it has a long account as a healing flora . It was often used to cure vicious bites and stinging . According to Dr. James Duke , tarragon has 72 potential cancer preventatives . The main anti - cancer chemical substance in this artemisia is caffeic acid , which helps the body get rid of damaging free radicals and also has the electrical capacity to kill some computer virus , it is an analgetic and anti - inflammatory . Dr. Duke states , “ Caffeic acid is one ingredient in estragon I would seek if I were take care to prevent cancer , flu or herpes virus . ”

A. vulgarisMugwort

This firm growing , and distribute repeated should not be target in the herbaceous plant garden ; it should be put in a spot where it can circularise - at the stunned border of the garden or woods - since it will take off and become invasive . The foliage have been used in many cuisines : it is often used with fatty foods like duck’s egg , geese and pork . Leaves and flowers have been added to beer and used as Camellia sinensis . Leaves are cooked as used as a potherb in Japan and supply to other dishes . It is a digestive and relieves gasolene and irregularity . It was also used as a nervine and made into dream pillow . A good cleaning woman ’s herb - it can used in the bathtub with other fragrant herbs - women drank the tea to regulate their cycle per second . In meter of former , mugwort was planted along wayside , so soldiers and travelers could cull the leaves and put them in their shoes as it was reputed for solace sore ft . dry leaves are burned to repel mosquitoes and other insects . They are also dried and rolled into smear sticks and burned as a smudging observance to enhance the spirits .

Besides the aforementioned , here are a few artemisias for the cosmetic garden . The silver , gray - green leaf and leaf textures and flesh depend fantastic with gullible - leaved herbaceous plant and show off every coloring material of flower bloom .

A. abrotanum‘Tangerine ’

A. ludoviciana‘Silver King’A. ludoviciana‘Silver Queen’A. ludoviciana‘Valerie Finnis’A. stellerianaBeach wormwoodA.‘Powis Castle ’

Check out the artemisias for your garden this year !

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‘Silver Queen’ artemisia just popping up. This is a handsome ornamental. Click on other pix to enlarge and read captions.Photo/Illustration: Susan Belsinger

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