The
genus of Artemisia, consisting of over two hundred mostly aromatic
plants was named in honor of the sister and wife of the Greek/Persian
King Mausolus who ruled after his death in 353 B.C. Artemisia was a
famous botanist and medical researcher. This versatile family of
artemisia includes many varieties, some grown for their culinary
usage, others for their aromatic and medicinal properties. The
medicinal values of artemisias were discovered by people living in
semiarid and temperate regions where the plants are found. The
better known members are the Wormwoods.
|
Artemisia Absinthium |
The
Common Wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) gained a high reputation
in medicine among the Ancients. According to the Ancients,
Wormwood counteracted the effects of poisoning by hemlock, toadstools
and the biting of the sea-dragon. In July’s Husbandry
written by Tusser in 1577, he says: “It is a comfort for hart and the
braine, and therefore to have it is not in vaine.” He recommends the
plant’s foliage be strewn in chambers and laid among stuffs and furs
to keep away moths and insects. In the ancient Greek text of
Dioscorides, wormwood is mentioned for its internal worm-expelling
property. Indians from New Mexico to British Columbia use
similar varieties to treat bronchitis and colds. The Chinese
still use a leaf of wormwood rolled up in the nostril to stop
nosebleed.
Culpepper said wormwood was the strongest of virtues among the three
wormwoods most commonly known at that time. An old love charm
goes like this: On St. Luke’s Day, take marigold flowers, a sprig of
marjoram, thyme and a little Wormwood; dry them before a fire, rub
them to powder; then sift it through a fine piece of lawn, and simmer
it over a slow fire, adding a small quantity of honey and vinegar.
Anoint yourself with this when you go to bed and you will dream of
your partner that is to be.
Mexicans consider wormwood an important herb; garlands of wormwood
decorated dancers during the ceremonial dance celebrating the festival
of the Goddess of Salt. The word ‘wormwood’ is synonymous for
bitterness and may have acquired its label because its active
ingredient, absinthol.
Old Man
Wormwood (A. absinthium) one of the more familiar artemisias,
is a hardy perennial generally unharmed by frost. Native to the
Mediterranean regions of Europe, it is naturalized throughout the
temperate world including the northeastern and central United States.
The earliest know record of this herb was found on a 1600 B.C.
Egyptian papyrus. Wormwood is one of the bitter herbs mentioned
in the Old Testament.
A.
absinthium,
the true wormwood, is a large gray shrub-like herb that will attain a
height of four feet and has finely divided gray leaves with rounded
oblong segments. The plant produces tiny, yellow flowers in late
summer. Easily propagated by root division done either in the
spring or fall. All wormwoods do well in average garden soil, though
they prefer somewhat dry, well-drained garden beds. two and a
half feet upon maturity. The plant has long stalks which drop
its lower leaves as it gets older. With maturity, the long stems
will curve downward and may even layer naturally if lying on soil.
It prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade; most of the
wormwoods are tolerant of clay soils. This herb can be
satisfactorily grown from seed, from cuttings or by root division of
older plants. Self-sown seed usually produce sturdier plants.
