Mugwort is not only fragrant, but is also said to have healing properties. This is not the only reason why it is worth cultivating it in our gardens.
Hundreds of years ago, the Chinese knew about the medicinal effects of annual mugwort (Artemisia annua) and used the tea and medicinal plant. With us you will learn what should be considered when cultivating and using Artemisia annua.
Artemisia annua: origin and properties
Annual mugwort, also known as annual wormwood or Qing Hao, is a wild plant native to temperate Asia where it is widespread. It is now naturalized in numerous countries, including some parts of Europe. Annual mugwort belongs to the daisy family (Asteraceae) and is just one of up to 400 species of the genus mugwort (Artemisia), which also includes wormwood (Artemisia absinthium ) finds.
The hairless plant forms erect, brown stalks. It reaches a height of 50 to 100 cm, but can grow up to 200 cm in cultivation. The delicate leaves of the annual mugwort are about 3 to 5 cm long. Through deep incisions, they are divided into numerous aromatic-scented leaflets and are silvery-green to light green in color. The strongly branched structure of the annual herb can be used in a variety of ways in the garden. From August to September the many small, yellowish-green flowers of the Artemisiaannua in loose panicles. The brown, rounded seeds of the annual mugwort reach a diameter of only 0.6 to 0.8 mm. They spread quickly to suitable locations by self-seeding.
What is the difference between mugwort and annual mugwort? The main difference between mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris ) and annual mugwort consists externally of the flower and the larger leaves. In contrast to common mugwort, the flowersof annual mugwort arranged in delicate panicles and colored yellow instead of whitish-silver.
Planting Artemisia annua: location and procedure
Annual mugwort prefers nutrient-poor, rather dry, well-drained and warm soil, but does well in many locations in full sun to partial shade.
The medicinal plant is easy to grow because it can be cultivated well by sowing early. From April it can be sown directly outdoors. The seeds of the Artemisia annua germinate in the sun, which is why they should not be covered with soil, or only very thinly. Alternatively, you can also grow the seeds indoors - multiplates or small pots and other growing containers are suitable for this. At room temperature and with sufficient moisture, the seeds need between two and four weeks to germinate. With a height of about 5 cm, the young mugwort plants are transplanted or planted directly outdoors when there is no longer any risk of frost from mid-May. In cool weather, it makes sense to gradually harden off the early young plants outdoors by initially placing them outdoors in a sheltered place for a long time every day. When planting, a distance of 60 cm to other plants should be maintained to give mugwort enough space. Sown plants should also be isolated.
You can cultivate the annual mugwort in a pot and put it on the balcony or terrace. It is advisable to fill a 5 cm high drainage layer of sand, gravel or expanded clay in a planter with a capacity of at least 5 liters to prevent waterlogging. A nutrient-poor potting soil, such as our Plantura organic herb and seed soil, is suitable as a substrate for annual mugwort. The sustainably produced and peat-free soil stores moisture due to the high proportion of organic matter, which is released to the plant roots when needed. It is applicable for both sowing and planting crops with low nutrient requirements.
At a glance: Planting annual mugwort
- Soil: poor in nutrients, dry, permeable and warm
- Location: Full sun to partial shade
- Sow outdoors from April and later singly
- Alternative: grow indoors and move outdoors from mid-May at a height of 5 cm
- Planting distance: 60 cm
- Holding in the pot: drainage layer against waterlogging and nutrient-poor potting soil such as our Plantura organic herb and seed soiluse
The right care
The annual mugwort is easy to care for and only needs a little watering as a young plant. As soon as a sufficient root system has formed, watering can usually be dispensed with. The heavy self-seeding of annual mugwort can become a problem for some gardeners. However, if you prune flowering branches before seeds set, you can limit or even prevent seed dispersal.
As a rule, annual mugwort is hardly affected by diseases: the bitter substances and essential oils contained in the leaves keep numerous pests and pathogens away. Powdery mildew can occur in humid summers. The biggest problem, namely root rot, is caused by waterlogging and soil that is too moist.
Propagating annual mugwort
As the name suggests, the annual mugwort is an annual plant. It dies off completely in winter and new seeds need to germinate in spring. In order to obtain seeds, the plants should be left between September and October until the seeds are ripe. As soon as the seed panicles turn brown, at the latest before the first frosts, harvest the entire seed heads with secateurs and lay them out to dry at room temperature. So that the seed does not fall out when the seed heads are harvested, pruning should be done early in the morning when the plants are still tough and damp from early autumn dew. After a few days the dry seeds fall off by themselves and can be stored in a cool, dark and dry place.
Harvest and storage
The Artemisia annua is harvested for use as a tea and medicinal plant shortly before or during flowering. To do this, cut off the heavily woody branches with a pair of strong secateurs or pruning shears as soon as the flower buds show a hint of yellow. You can then hang up the plants in bundles and let them dry in the sun or in the oven at 40 °C. The dry branches are then shaken or plucked by hand to separate the leaves from the stem. For long-term storage, the leaves of Artemisia annua should be stored dry and whole and not crushed in order to preserve as many ingredients as possible.
Use andEffect of Artemisia annua
Annual mugwort has an aromatic scent of camphor and chamomile (Matricaria). It is therefore used in dried form or as an extract as a medicinal plant for the extraction of essential oils in the perfume industry and in dried flower arrangements. Tea, capsules or tinctures of Artemisia annua are used in traditional Chinese medicine to fight fever and infection, and especially to prevent and treat malaria. The ingredients artemisin and arteannuin are primarily responsible for the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect of Artemisia annua . The active ingredients also have the potential to be used as natural herbicides.
In various studies, annual mugwort has been shown to have antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant and antiviral effects. Artemisin and the increased content of minerals such as zinc and selenium are particularly physiologically effective. Preparations and preparations from Artemisia annua could therefore be used preventively in viral diseases such as SARS-CoV-2.
Is Artemisia annua poisonous?
Similar to the invasive ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), the pollen grains of all Artemisia species can cause allergic reactions, so at best pre harvested when the flowers open. Overall, however, allergy sufferers should refrain from cultivating the plants. When handling dried plant parts of the Artemisia annua, a certain amount of dust can develop, which can also trigger an allergy in some people. However, this reaction can be largely avoided by spraying the branches with water.
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