SafePlants

Artemisia: A Deep Dive into Wormwood Varieties

The genus Artemisia, encompassing wormwood, sagebrush, and sagewort, is a diverse group within the sunflower family (Asteraceae). This article explores several species and varieties, highlighting their unique characteristics and distribution.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Genus: Artemisia L.
• Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)
• Species & Common Names:
  • Artemisia senjavinensis: Arctic Wormwood
  • Artemisia glomerata Ledeb.: Pacific Alpine Wormwood, Cudweed Sagewort, Clustered Wormwood, Congested Sagewort
  • Artemisia campestris subsp. scouleriana: Pacific Wormwood, Scouler's Wormwood
  • Artemisia arborescens: Tree Wormwood, Sheeba
  • Artemisia absinthium: Absinthe Wormwood, Wormwood
  • Artemisia aleutica: Aleutian Wormwood
  • Artemisia tilesii: Mountain Wormwood
  • Artemisia laxa: Alpine Wormwood
  • Artemisia bigelovii: Bigelow Sage
  • Artemisia arctica: Alpine Sagewort, Boreal Sagewort, Arctic Wormwood
• Varieties:
  • Artemisia glomerata var. glomerata: Pacific Alpine Wormwood
  • Artemisia glomerata Ledeb. var. subglabrata Hultn: Pacific Alpine Wormwood
• Synonyms: The text provides numerous common names, which can serve as synonyms in some contexts.

Distribution and Habitat

• Artemisia senjavinensis is a rare Arctic species found on the Seward Peninsula.
• Artemisia glomerata, the Pacific Alpine Wormwood, thrives in subalpine to alpine areas, often in rocky places, talus slopes, scree, and drainages, typically at elevations of 10,000-12,000 feet.
• Various Artemisia species are found across a wide range of habitats, "ranging from arctic polar deserts to hot Sonoran desert and alpine tundra to coastal salt marshes."
• Artemisia arborescens is indigenous to the Middle East.
• Several species, including variants of Artemisia arctica, are found in the Pacific Northwest.

Morphological Characteristics

• Artemisia Glomerata is described as a subshrub forb/herb with a perennial duration.
• Artemisia arborescens is noted as a very bitter herb.

Traditional Uses

• Artemisia absinthium (Absinthe Wormwood) has a history of use in repelling fleas and moths, as well as in brewing. It was also used as a bitter tonic and choleretic.
• Artemisia herba-alba is thought to be the plant translated as "wormwood" in some English versions of religious texts.

Quirky Facts

• Mark Bernard, of Pacific Distillery in Woodinville, WA, notes that wormwood is an Alpine, Mediterranean plant.
• Vieux Pontarlier highlights the world's best wormwood.

Further Information

• Discover Life offers pages about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Artemisia glomerata (Pacific Alpine Wormwood).
• The Wormwood Society is mentioned as a resource.