Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum)

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is an herb that can grow 50cm – 1.5m tall and 50cm – 1.5m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum).

This plant has several common names including: southernwood, boy’s love, lad’s love, old man, maiden’s ruin, maid’s love, maid’s passion, medicinal wormwood, Sabbath day posy, slovenwood or sweet Benjamin.

This is a deciduous plant that takes 5-10 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: southernwood, boy’s love, lad’s love, old man, maiden’s ruin, maid’s love, maid’s passion, medicinal wormwood, Sabbath day posy, slovenwood, sweet Benjamin
Scientific name: Artemisia abrotanum
Plant type: Herbs, Perennials
Habit: Bushy
Height: 50cm – 1.5m
Spread: 50cm – 1.5m
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial shade
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Informal Garden
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding, Low Maintenance
Other characteristics: Drought resistant

Seasonal colors

How to plant Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) – André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is a plant that adapts to all types of soils, chalk, clay, loam or sand.

• The chalky soil is pale and contains chunks of calcium-rich rock. It is a fertile and well-draining soil, almost always alkaline.

• Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Artemisia abrotanum likes to grow in well drained soil.

Sunlight

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is a plant that should be grown in full sun or partial shade positions.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) – Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons