Mugwort

Origin: Temperate Europe, Asia, northern Africa and Alaska

Family: Asteraceae
Scientific Name: Artemisia vulgaris

Folk Names: Armoise, Artemis herb, carline thistle, chrysanthemum weed, dreamwort, felon herb, muggons, naughty man, old man, old Uncle Harry, old Uncle Henry, riverside wormwood, sailor’s tobacco, St. John’s plant, wild wormwood, witch plant

Magical

Element: Water
Direction: South
Day: Friday
Planet: Venus
Zodiac: Libra
Associated Celebrations: Quickening
Deities: Artemis, Diana, Hekate, Woden

Parts used: Plant/leaves

Magical Properties: Protection, clairvoyance, psychic dreams, purification, travel, divination, tranquillity, banishing, consecration

Substitutions: Wormwood

Lore

Roman soldiers places mugwort leaves in their sandals to keep their feet in good condition on long marches. The leaves were also chewed by Romans to help ease fatigue.

Medieval pilgrims used mugwort as an amulet of protection against beasts and demons.

Magical Uses

• Place mugwort under the pillow to induce prophetic dreams.
• Place mugwort in your shoes to prevent fatigue on long journeys.
• Carry mugwort for protection against poison, stroke, and wild beasts!
• Create an incense from mugwort, sandalwood, and wormwood to burn during scrying rituals.
• Rub fresh mugwort leaves on scrying tools to strengthen their powers, or wash with a mugwort infusion.

Aromatherapy

Part Used: Leaves & flowers
Extraction Method: Steam distillation

Scent Type: Herbaceous
Perfume Note: Middle Scent Description: Bitter-sweet, herbaceous, and slightly camphoraceous.

Warnings:

• Avoid during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
• Do not use topically.
• Not safe for use for folks with epilepsy/seizure disorders or high blood pressure.

Medicinal

Note: This information is provided for informational purposes only, do not use any plants medicinally without consulting with an appropriate medical professional.

Medicinal Properties: Anthelmintic, emmenagogue, tonic

Warnings:

• Mugwort can trigger menstruation and uterine contractions, and should be avoided if pregnant.
• Allergies to mugwort are extremely common, especially in those with allergies/sensitivities to: other members of the Asteraceae family, birch, carrot, celery, fennel, hazelnut, honey, kiwi fruit, latex, mango, nangai, olive, peach, pine royal jelly, and white mustard. Its pollen may also cause reactions in those with tobacco allergies.
• Mugwort may cause mania when consumed in large quantities.

Botanical

There are roughly 12 different Artemisia species known by the name ‘mugwort’, but it is most commonly used to refer to Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort).

Type: Herb
Plant Height: 1m-2m
Stems: Grooved, often with a red-purpleish tinge
Leaves: 5-20cm long, dark green, pinnate, and sessile, with white hairs underneath
Flowers: Mid-summer to early autumn: Branches flower clusters, made of multiple 5mm long florets with many thin/tiny yellow or dark red petals.

Etymology: Most etymology suggestions for mugwort seem to derive from its use as an insect repellent, citing Old Norse muggi (marsh) or Old English mycg (midge).

In the Garden

Type: Perennial
Sow: Winter
Light: Full sun
Water: Keep moist
Soil: Rich

Companion Planting: Mugwort can deter growth of other non-aromatic herbs nearby, but doesn’t seem to affect other aromatics.

Tips:

• Mugwort grows best if seeds are cold-stratified for a week before sowing.
• Plants can be transplanted or divided in early spring.
• Mugwort is best harvested at the beginning of flowering. Pick before sunrise on the waxing or full moon for maximum potency.
• Prune back to 1-2 feet to encourage stronger root system development.