Common Name: Southernwood

General Information

Artemisia abrotanum is a perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody and can persist. It usually grows 50 - 130cm tall, exceptionally to 170cm[].
The plant is harvested from the wild, mainly for local use, as a medicine, sourve of materials and a condiment. It is often cultivated in gardens for its various virtues such as a fly and parasite repellent. It has had a renewed popularity in xeriscape gardening where it is it is drought tolerant and can fill difficult garden spaces such as dry rocky slopes[].
Reports of naturalization of this plant in America may be exaggerated; it is not known to become weedy in any of its known locations in North America[].

Known Hazards

Although we have seen no specific reports for this species, many members of this genus contain potentially allergenic sesquiterpene lactones that can cause skin reactions[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

S. Europe? The original habitat is obscure

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild situation.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most soils, preferring a well-drained one that is not too rich[, ]. Easily grown in a well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline loamy soil, preferring a sunny position[, ]. Plants are longer lived, more hardy and more aromatic when they are grown in a poor dry soil[]. Tolerates a pH in the range 6.3 to 7.6. Established plants are drought tolerant. Plants succeed in maritime gardens[].
The leaves are very aromatic[].
It is best to cut the plant back fairly hard every spring in order to keep it compact and encourage plenty of new growth[, ]. The plant rarely produces flowers in British gardens[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].

Edible Uses

The young shoots have a bitter, lemony flavour and are used in small quantities as a flavouring in cakes, salads and vinegars[, , , , ].
A tea is made from the young bitter shoots[].

Medicinal

Southernwood has a long history of domestic herbal use, though it is now used infrequently in herbal medicine[]. It is a strongly aromatic bitter herb that improves digestion and liver function by increasing secretions in the stomach and intestines, it stimulates the uterus and encourages menstrual flow, lowers fevers, relaxes spasms and destroys intestinal worms[, ].

The herb, and especially the young flowering shoots, is anthelmintic, antiseptic, cholagogue, deobstruent, emmenagogue, stomachic and tonic[, , ]. The main use of this herb is as an emmenagogue, though it is also a good stimulant tonic and has some nervine principle[]. It is sometimes given to young children in order to expel parasitic worms[].
Used externally it is applied to small wounds in order to stop them bleeding and help them to heal[]. The herb is also used externally in aromatic bathes and as a poultice to treat skin conditions[].

Southernwood should be used internally with caution, see the notes above on toxicity. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, since it can encourage menstrual flow[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A good companion plant for cabbages[, , ]. It is also a good plant to grow in the orchard, where it can help to reduce insect pests[].
The growing plant repels fruit tree moths when growing in an orchard[, , , ].
Plants can be grown as a low hedge, they tolerate quite hard clipping[, ].

Other Uses

The fresh plant can be rubbed onto the skin to deter insects[]. The shoots can be dried for indoor use, they remain effective for 6 - 12 months[]. They are also said to repel ants[].
Shoots can be burnt in the fireplace to remove cooking odours from the house[].

The leaves have a refreshing lemon-like fragrance and are used in pot-pourri[].

An essential oil from the leaves and flowering shoots is used in perfumery in order to add certain subtle tones[].

A yellow dye is obtained from the branches[, ].

An infusion of the plant is used as a hair tonic or conditioner[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 15°c[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. Once the seedlings are more than 15cm tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or summer.
Cuttings of young wood 8cm long, May in a frame[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, mid summer in a frame[].