Wormwood — Growing reference
| Scientific name | Artemisia absinthium |
|---|---|
| Seed germination (days) | 10–21 |
| Soil temperature for germination (°C) | 18.3–21.1 |
| First harvest or flowering (days) | 90–120 |
| Measured from | Seed |
| Plant spacing (cm) | 61–91.4 |
| Mature height (cm) | 61–121.9 |
| Mature spread (cm) | 61–91.4 |
| USDA hardiness zones | 3–9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | Low |
| Sowing method | Direct sow |
Growing directions
Artemisia absinthium is a silver-white, intensely aromatic shrubby perennial with silky, deeply dissected, ghostly pale foliage that makes it one of the most striking foliage plants in the dry garden; the bitter compounds (including thujone) were historically used medicinally as an anthelmintic (worm expeller), digestive bitter, and febrifuge, and are the source of the bitterness in vermouth and historically in absinthe. The foliage is strongly allelopathic — plant away from edible crops. The silver-gray foliage is an outstanding foil for purple-flowered companions like salvias and catmints.
Source and local conditions
Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.
OpenPlantDB · artemisia-absinthium
Source & verification
OpenPlantDB · CC0