Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is an herb that can grow 50cm – 1.5m tall and 10cm – 50cm wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium).
This plant has several common names including: wormwood, absinth, absinthe, common wormwood, girdle of St John, green ginger, holy seed, lad’s love, mingwort, old man, old woman, St John’s girdle or warmot.
This is a deciduous plant that takes 2-5 years to reach full maturity.
In this article
Plant profile
Common name: wormwood, absinth, absinthe, common wormwood, girdle of St John, green ginger, holy seed, lad’s love, mingwort, old man, old woman, St John’s girdle, warmot
Scientific name: Artemisia absinthium
Plant type: Herbs, Perennials
Habit: Bushy
Height: 50cm – 1.5m
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Chalk, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Informal Garden, Mediterranean Garden
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding, Wall-side Borders
Seasonal colors
| Season | Stem | Foliage | Flower | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
How to plant Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) – David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Other types of Artemisia to consider:
See all Artemisia
How to plant
In this section we will learn how to plant Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.
Soil
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is not a demanding plant regarding the type of soil and can grow in chalk, 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.
-
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 absinthium likes to grow in well drained soil.
Sunlight
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) should be grown in full sun places.
Cultivation profiles – Growing Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) – Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
