Artemisia biennis
| Artemisia biennis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 6.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Artemisia biennis (common name: biennial wormwood)
Propagation: Seed - surface sow spring in a greenhouse. Do not allow the compost to dry out. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer.
The seed can also be sown in situ during late spring.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Easily grown in a well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline loamy soil, preferring a sunny position. Established plants are drought tolerant. Plants are longer lived, more hardy and more aromatic when they are grown in a poor dry soil[1].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[2].
Range: N. America - Quebec to British Columbia and south to New England, Indiana etc.
Habitat: Open ground, clearings, burns, roadsides and waste places[3].
Edibility: Seed[4][5][6]. No further details are given, but the seed is very small and fiddly to utilize[K].
Medicinal: The plant as been used in the treatment of stomach cramps, colic and painful menstruation[6]. Externally, it has been used for treating sores and wounds[6]. The report does not specify which part of the plant is used.
The seeds, mixed with molasses, have been used as a parasiticide in getting rid of worms[6].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, skin contact with some members of this genus can cause dermatitis or other allergic reactions in some people[7].
Links
References
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.