Wormwood | Artemisia Absinthium | Certified Organic

Description

USDA-certified organic wormwood hand-processed to remove dust and stems.

Wormwood has an unusual history because its use is documented in so many different locations and cultures. Wormwood was supposedly considered an aphrodisiac in Ancient Egypt. During the Middle Ages, it was believed that wormwood could entice a woman by placing it in her bed. In Germanic paganism, wormwood was thrown into funeral pyres and placed on graves. During the 16th century, people believed the fumes from burning wormwood would prevent the devil from taking a newborn baby. Others believed wormwood could protect a newborn or adult from witchcraft.

Wormwood is used for flavoring in spirits and wines, including bitters vermouth and pelinkovac.

Wormwood has a history as a medicinal herb and supposedly can be used as an aid for dyspepsia, various infectious diseases and Crohn’s disease. It is a bitter and may help settle the stomach and counteract a loss of appetite.

More scientific study and research is need to fully verify claims as to the medicinal effects of wormwood.

Botanical name: Artemisia Absinthium
Plant family: Asteraceae
Also called: Absinth, Common Wormwood, Grande Absinthe, Green Fairy, Green Ginger, Madderwort and Western Wormwood

Identification

The herbaceous and perennial Wormwood Plant is covered in silky gray hairs and has a strong odor. Wormwood grows in clusters from one large taproot, up to five feet tall and three feet wide. The leaves are one to five inches long, olive-green on top and white below, divided one to two times, deeply lobed and spirally arranged on the grooved and branched stems. Artemisia Absinthium Flowers are small, yellowish, round, nodding, arranged in a leafy panicle at the top, and bloom from midsummer to early fall.

Habitat

Wormwood often forms colonies and is native to temperate regions. It can be found growing wild in Europe, Scotland, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, the south up to North Africa, Siberia and India. Wormwood has naturalized in North and South America, North and West Asia, New Zealand and the Azores. The plant is normally found in uncultivated fields and on roadsides or rocky slopes and prefers arid, non-acidic loam to sandy loam rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Uses

Wormwood Tea

Wormwood tea is very bitter and poor-tasting. Using a sweetener and a higher water-to-herb ratio would be recommended. Using wormwood tea for herbal supplementation can be useful because the herb is not eaten directly. It may not be recommended to consume wormwood on a regular basis.

Try starting out with half a gram of wormwood per 16 ounces of water. Boil the leaf in the water for at least 6 minutes, allow it to cool, and strain out the remaining material. If you would like a stronger or weaker tea, you can increase or decrease the amount of leaf used and the amount of time it is boiled in small increments.

Smoking Wormwood

Wormwood is considered a smoking herb and does have a history of use for smoking. In Korea, it is used as the main ingredient in a brand of smokes called Blue. It has a strong flavor but is not overly harsh, so it can be useful in blending.

Wormwood Smudge

Wormwood’s strong, distinct aroma when burned, along with that of its relative, mugwort, makes it a favorite ingredient in smudging blends. Wormwood smudge has been used for centuries in rituals on many different continents.

Herbal Supplement

Wormwood is used in herbal supplements and by natural health practitioners.

This material is meticulously processed and cleaned by hand. Please take a look at our Hand Processing Herbs page for more information.