Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum)

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is an herb that can grow 50cm – 1.5m tall and 50cm – 1.5m wide.

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

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