The genus of Artemisia contains about 300 species of plants. it’s within the Asteraceae (daisy) family, but you’ll not see tons of showy flowers with the Artemisia species. The genus includes annuals, perennials, and even woody shrubs, but those cultivated for garden use are mostly herbaceous perennials. Most artemisias are grown as foliage plants and valued for his or her filagree-like leaves.
Several familiar Artemsia species pass familiar common names: southernwood (A. abrotanum); wormwood, also called absinthe (A. absinthium); mugwort (A. vulgaris); sagebrush (A. tridentata); and therefore the culinary herb called tarragon (A. dracunculus). But those used as landscape plants are often named cultivars that are known simply as “artemisia.”
Artemisia is usually considered an herb, either culinary or medicinal. Most of the species are heavily scented and lots of have a somewhat bitter taste, which makes them very unattractive to browsing animals but useful for his or her essential oils.
Artemisias have alternate leaves in various shapes. fairly often the leaves are lobed, and that they are generally covered with whitish hairs that give the leaves a silvery, grayish look. Their flowers are small (1/16 to 3/8 inches), white or yellow, and cylindrical. The flowers are often clustered in panicles, but sometimes they’re single.
Artemisia is generally planted from nursery-grown plants within the spring as soon because the soil are often worked, but this sturdy plant can really be planted almost any time. it’ll grow quickly, achieving full size within a few of months. Established clumps will return even quicker each spring.
Caution
Many artemisia species are considered invasive in some parts of the U.S. ask an area expert before planting, and lookout to stop your plants from escaping into the surrounding land.
Botanical Name | Artemisia spp. |
Common Names | Artemisia; individual species may be known as wormwood, absinthe, southernwood, mugwort, etc. |
Plant Type | Mostly herbaceous perennials; genus also include some annuals and woody shrubs |
Mature Size | 8 inches to 5 feet tall depending on variety |
Sun Exposure | Full sun |
Soil Type | Any average, well-drained soil |
Soil pH | Any soil pH |
Bloom Time | August to September |
Flower Color | White or yellow |
Hardiness Zones | 4–10 (USDA); varies according to species |
Native Area | Depends on species |
Toxicity | Oils may cause skin irritation; tarragon is toxic to dogs and cats |
Artemisia Care
Artemisias are relatively low-maintenance plants, but they are doing have some preferences when it involves growing environment. they’re going to grow best during a full sun location, although most varieties can handle part shade.
A vignette of all silvery and white plants looks striking in semi-shade, like is achieved once you pair artemisia with lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina), Pulmonaria, and white variegated grass. Gray leaves also pair nicely with almost any pastel, especially pinks and blues, also like mauve-pinks, like Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium) and red valerian .
A beautiful use for artemisias is to pair them with the spiky, deep blues and purples of salvias and irises. Or watch what they are doing to liven purple coneflowers (Echinacea). Small plants are great for containers, while taller and bushier varieties are often used as a summer hedge.
Light
Artemisias grow best full sun, but some types will tolerate some shade, provided they rise up to 6 hours of sun.
Soil
With a couple of exceptions, like Artemisia lactiflora, Artemisias need well-draining soil on the dry side. If left sitting in damp soil, they’re going to decline and/or be short-lived.
Water
As with most silver-leaved perennials, Artemisia plants are very drought tolerant. they’re going to need regular water until the plants are established, but they will look out for themselves then.
Fertilizer
Artemisias don’t like overly rich soil. Since artemisias don’t like rich soil, no supplemental fertilizer should be necessary, especially if you’re regularly adding organic interest to your beds.
Is Artemisa Toxic?
Official lists of poisonous garden plants generally list Atemisia as a category 4 toxin, meaning that it’s capable of causing dermatitis (skin) reactions upon contact. there’s also some evidence that the concentrated artemisinin oil, sometimes taken as a folk medicine remedy or as an ingredient in cancer-fighting drugs, may cause liver damage. But such effects aren’t possible with accidental ingestion of garden plants.
Artemisia plants aren’t generally included on lists of plants toxic to animals. However, tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is that the exception, with clearly documented toxicity for dogs and cats.
Symptoms of Poisoning
Contact with the oils in artemisia leaves can cause skin rashes, hives, and other skin reactions in people. Treatment is usually an easy matter of washing and rinsing the skin.
Tarragon consumption has been known to cause vomiting, excessive salivation, low vital sign , coma, and in rare cases, death in dogs and cats. Given the chemical similarities between Artemisa speices, it’s probably an honest idea to stop pets from eating other sorts of Artemisia, albeit they’re not commonly known to be toxic.
Artemisia Varieties
- ‘Canyon Gray’ (Artemisia californica ‘Canyon Gray’): Also referred to as canyon sagebrush, this variety stays under 2 feet and height but can spread the maximum amount as 10 feet, making it a superb groundcover. it’s hardy in zones 9 to 10.
- Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris): This 2- to 4-foot tall plant features a sage/mint aroma and flowers with greenish-white blooms that appear in mid-to-late summer. It are often grown in zones 5 to 10.
- ‘Powis Castle’ (Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’): this is often a hybrid variety, an upright plant growing 2 to three feet tall with silver-gray fern-like foliage. It is often grown in USDA zones 7 to 10.
- ‘Silver King’ (Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Silver King’): This plant may be a fast-spreading variety with bright silver-white leaves that turn reddish in fall. It grows up to 4 feet tall and is hardy in zone 4 to 9.
- ‘Silver Brocade’ (Artemisia stelleriana ‘Silver Brocade’): this is often a low-growing 6- to 8-inch tall plant that spreads about 1 foot. it’s wooly white leaves and is usually utilized in containers or planted into crevices of retaining walls.
- ‘Seafoam’ (Artemisia Versicolor ‘Seafoam’): This ground-hugging 8-inch variety has billowy silver foliage and is hardy in zones 4 to 10.
- ‘Silver Mound’ (Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’): Forming 1-foot mounds of soft-textured light green foliage, this variety is hardy in zones 5 to 10.
Pruning Artemisia
Perennial artemisias are often crop within the fall or spring. Shrubby varieties should be pruned within the spring. they will handle being crop hard if you would like to stay their size in restraint . Even non-woody artemisias can get floppy, especially after flowering. Give them a shearing mid-summer to stop them from splitting open within the middle.
Propagating Artemisia
Plants are often started from seed, divisions, or cuttings, but many of the newer hybrids are sterile and therefore the others won’t grow faithful seed. Thus, propagation is most frequently done by simple division of the basis clumps, which offers the fastest, most trouble-free method.
Divide plants every two to 3 years, or once you start to note the middle starting to die out. this is often an easy matter of exhumation the whole plant, dividing the basis ball, and replanting.
Common Pests/Diseases
Luckily, if the conditions are ideal, artemisias are quite resilient. due totheir strong scent, insects tend to avoid artemisias. But they will be susceptible to many fungal and rust diseases, like fungus , mildew , and false mildew . Hot, humid weather exacerbates these problems. Growing them in an open area with good airflow will help mitigate the issues .