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Mugwort Information
Mugwort
Artemisisa vulgaris
Other Names:
Cronewort, St. John´s Plant
Identification:
Mugwort is a perennial herbacious (green, not woody-stemmed) plant with hairy stems growing 2 to 12 feet tall. The lower leaves are divided into many lobes, sharply pointed at the tips. The upper leaves of the late season, flowering stalks are less or not at all divided, but still pointed. The leaves are dark green above, silvery white underneath. Flowers are tiny, green, inconspicuous growing on long spikes in summer and fall. When the plant goes to seed, the tips of the stalks bend back toward the earth. If you crush a leaf, it will exude a wild green, pungent herbal fragrance difficult to describe, but an important identifying characteristic once you get to know it.
Mugwort spreads quickly and can be invasive. It is usually found growing in colonies (I´ve seen entire parking lots taken over by mugwort), and even secretes an herbicide from its roots to discourage other plants growing nearby. It originally came from Asia.
Food:
Mugwort is used in Asia as a seasoning and deep fried. Used this way, its flavor is definitely an acquired taste. It was once used in Europe to flavor beer, hence the common name.
Mugwort vinegar is delicious and simply made. Steep fresh mugwort leaves in apple cider vinegar for six weeks, then strain. Use on salads, in marinades and in small quantities in savory soups. While having no strong flavor of its own, this vinegar seems to act as a natural flavor enhancer to whatever it accompanies. The usual response is "Yum! What did you put in this?"
Medicinal and Other Uses:
Among its many medicinal uses, mugwort is used to bring on delayed menstruation, as a tonic for nervous exhaustion, and as ‘moxa´ in Chinese medicine. I have personally had moxabustion twice, and can vouch for its effectiveness in relieving pain and opening blockages. The first treatment I had, the acupuncturist placed wads of fluffy, dried mugwort on top of the acupuncture needles and lit them like incense. The sensation was mild, one of warmth and release. The second treatment involved burning the moxa on top of thin slices of fresh ginger root that had been placed over various acupuncture points.
E. Barrie Kavasch showed me how to make mugwort smudge sticks to purify the energy of an atmosphere or a person. The Artemisia the native american tribes use for this purpose (sold as sage, but a different genus from garden sage) is a close relative. Instructions for making these and other kinds of smudge sticks are in the shared files at Onelist.
The dried root of leaf tea can be drunk cold for its nervine and diuretic properties, or hot to provoke a sweat or bring on delayed menses.
In Judith Berger´s book, Herbal Rituals, she calls this plant by the name Cronewort. This plant does have a long history of use specifically for women. It´s Latin genus name comes from the Greek goddess Artemis. One of her roles was to help women through any difficulties associated with menstruation, childbearing and menopause. I see a connection between this and its use in smudges and acupuncture. Once again the action is one of opening blockages, of clearing and promoting flow.
Mugwort is also included in dream pillows to induce vivid dreams and clear recall of them. Some people report nightmares when using Artemisia this way. I used to say that the plant simply made conscious whatever was on their minds. I still agree with that to some extent, but I have also since read that mugwort can produce bad dreams if used in conjunction with drinking alcohol.
Legends and Lore
Artemisia vulgaris is also called St. John´s Plant (not to be confused with St. John´s Wort, Hypericum perforatum). There is a tradition to make crowns of it on the summer solstice because that is St. John´s Day. These crowns are supposed to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year. Mugwort is associated with St. John the Baptist, who is said to have worn a girdle of it when he went into the wilderness.
Leda Meredith