Health benefits of Mugwort

Good Morning!  I meant to share this info with you earlier in the week but I lost track of time.  Here we go!

Mugwort, aka wormwood, sailor's tobacco, felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, traveler's plant, and St. John's Plant (not St. John's Wort) is a very potent and beneficial herb.

What is Mugwort?

"Many herbalists used mugwort to treat a wide range of symptoms including digestive problems and menstrual irregularity. Folklore also held that mugwort placed under the pillow or burned in the bedroom would bring vivid, intense dreams. This may well be true, since thujone, the toxin in mugwort, is also found in wormwood, the primary ingredient in absinthe. The plant was also traditionally used to flavor beers and wines, and some cooks included it as a bitter ingredient in savory dishes." Source

Health Benefits of Mugwort 

Mugwort can be used as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic, haemostatic and to promote healthy digestion. 

Mugwort can also work to relax and sooth anxiety and stress.  Additional benefits include relief of exhaustion, nervousness, and mild depression. 

For women, Mugwort can help stimulate or regulate menstruation and can be used for painful menstrual cramps. 

Want to Grow your Own?

From Wisegeek, "The plant can grow up to 18 feet (6 meters) in height, and it has hairy angular stalks which are tinted with purple. The leaves are deeply segmented and often serrated, and the flowers are small, with a purple to red color. Mugwort can be found wild all over the world, and sometimes volunteers itself in cultivated gardens as well. Since it is highly tenacious, this can be disruptive, and gardeners who do not want mugwort in their gardens should be aggressive about eliminating it. The flowering period ranges from July to September."

Tip:  If you want this one in your garden and you don't want it to take over, it's important to have deep sound borders around it. Once they start they will grow rapidly, and can be difficult to control. 

Growing from seed is very simple.  I use peat pellets for almost all of my seed starting.  Plant the seed and cover with approx 1/4 inch of light soil.  Seeds germinate in 4-10 days.  Once the seedling has grown 3-5 inches, transplant to it's permanent home.

Happy Planting!