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Wormwood
Caution🐾Wermut · (Artemisia absinthium)
Daisy family (Asteraceae)
Description
Wormwood is a perennial, strongly aromatic subshrub with silvery-grey, finely divided leaves covered with fine hairs on both sides. Its small, yellowish flower heads are borne in loose, panicle-like clusters and appear in mid to late summer. The whole plant is rich in intensely bitter compounds and essential oils, making it one of the most bitter of the native medicinal herbs. Traditionally the flowering herb is used as a bitter tonic to stimulate appetite and aid digestion. Wormwood is also famous as the principal ingredient of absinthe, whose thujone content historically prompted caution and bans.
- TeaAerial partsInternalEMA well-established
Taken as a bitter tea from the dried flowering herb shortly before meals to stimulate appetite and digestion.
- TinctureAerial partsInternalEMA well-established
An alcoholic extract (wormwood tincture), taken drop-wise in water as a concentrated digestive bitter for poor appetite and dyspeptic complaints.
- SpiceAerial partsInternalTraditional use
Traditionally used to flavour bitter liqueurs and vermouth wine and as a digestive aperitif.