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Artemisia vulgaris L.
| Family Name: | Asteraceae (Compositae) |
| Synonyms: | Artemisia vulgaris var. coarctata |
| Common Name: | Common Mugwort, Common Wormwood, Moxa, Green-ginger, Sailor's Tobacco, 艾叶, 艾草, 五月艾 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Shrubby |
| Maximum Height | 1.5 m |
| Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width | 0.6 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Northern Africa, Europe, Western Asia, China |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Grassland / Savannah/ Scrubland, Disturbed Area / Open Ground) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Temperate |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Perennial up to 1.5 m tall which becomes woody at maturity. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Deeply lobed, simple leaves (5-10 cm long, 2.5-7.6 cm wide) resemble a pinnately compound leaf with oblong, irregularly lobed 'leaflets'. The upper leaf surface is green and hairless to sparsely hairy, while the lower surface is white to grey and softly hairy. Upper leaves tend to be more deeply lobed than lower ones. Leaves have a distinct aroma. |
| Stems | Stems are usually reddish brown. |
| Flowers | Compound flowers known as heads are composed of tiny, reddish brown florets. The heads are arranged in a narrow panicle that looks like a spike inflorescence. |
| Fruit | Dry, indehiscent, 1-seeded fruits are known as achenes. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Leaves Food (Herb and Spice): Leaves aromatic and bitter-tasting, eaten raw or cooked, used as flavouring herb for fatty fishes, stuffing for meat, and as greenish colouring agent for rice dumpings in Japan and Korea. Medicinal: Scientific Evidence of Medicinal Properties In pre-clinical trials, Common Mugwort showed pain-relieving (Thangjam et al., 2020), anti-cancer (Ali et al., 2020), anti-inflammation (Afsar et al., 2013), antioxidant (Walid 2015) and cholesterol-lowering properties (Kayamkani 2015) and anti-malarial properties (Kodippili et al., 2011) in animals. Traditional Medicinal Uses Research supports the traditional use of Common Mugwort to improve blood circulation. Other traditional uses include using it to remove intestinal worms. It is important to note that some therapeutic effects from traditional medicinal uses of plants are not currently supported or verified by scientific research.
Cultural / Religious: In the Middle Ages, some people believed the herb would protect travelers from fatigue and evil spirits. There are references in some of Shakespeare's plays that the herb was used to wean infants off breast-feeding. Others: Whole plant (fresh or dried) repels insects. An infusion of the plant can be used as a general-purpose insecticidal spray which is especially effective against insect larvae. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Fragrant (Foliage, Stems) |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Container Planting, General, Flowerbed / Border |
| Thematic Landscaping | Economic Garden, Naturalistic Garden |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Irritant - Sap, Irritant - Nasal Allergy |
| Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks | The consumption of large doses of this plant could be harmful. Depending on the country of origin, essential oil prepared from the plant may contain differing amounts of thujone (Misra and Singh 1986), a compound which may be toxic over prolonged use. It also contains compounds that may induce abortion and may be hazardous to pregnant women. Always consult your doctor before consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
| Plant & Rootzone Preference or Tolerance Remarks | Tolerates soil pH 4.8 - 8.4. |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Caterpillar Food Plant, Butterfly Food Plant, Bee-Attracting |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Butterfly, Moth)) |
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic (Explosive Dehiscence) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water, Little Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Easy to Grow, Disease / Pest Resistant, Dry Soils / Drought, Well-Drained Soils, Poor Infertile Soils, Alkaline high pH Soils |
| Maintenance Requirements | Moderate |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stem Cutting |
| Planting Distance | 0 to 0 |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green, Silver / Grey |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Thin |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Pinnately Lobed / Pinnatifid |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
| Typical Foliar Area | Microphyll ( 2.25cm2 - 20.25 cm2 ) |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Herbaceous |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Fibrous Root) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Brown, Cream / Off-White, Red, White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Terminal |
| Inflorescence Type | Head / Capitulum |
| Flowering Opening Time | Time-Independent |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
| Inflorescence Size Remarks | White flowers mature to reddish-brown. |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
|---|---|
| Fruit Type | Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Achene |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | Afsar, S.K., Kumar, K.R., Gopal, J.V. & Raveesha, P. (2013). Assessment of anti-inflammatory activity of Artemsia vulgaris leaves by cotton pellet granuloma method in Wistar albino rats. Journal of Pharmacy Research 7: 463–467. Ali, S., Ejaz, M., Dar, K.K., Nasreen, S., Ashraf, N., Gillani, S.F., Shafi, N., Safeer, S., Khan, M.A., Andleeb, S., Akhtar, N. & Mughal, T.A. (2020). Evaluation of chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effect of Artemisia vulgaris extract against diethylnitrosamine induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis in Balb C mice. Brazilian Journal of Biology 80(3): 489–496. El-Tantawy, W.H. (2015). Biochemical effects, hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory activities of Artemsia vulgaris extract in hypercholesterolemic rats. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition 57(1): 33–38. Kayamkani, A.K. (2020). A preclinical antihyperlipidemic evaluation of Artemsia vulgaris root in diet induced hyperlipidemic animal model. International Journal of Pharmacological Research 5(4): 110–114. Thangjam, N.M., Taijong, J. & Kumar, A. (2020). Phytochemical and pharmacological activities of methanol extract of Artemsia vulgaris L. leaves. Clinical Phytoscience 6: 72.
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Others
| Master ID | 393 |
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| Species ID | 1689 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
