Biennial Wormwood

Biennial Wormwood

Artemisia biennis Willd.

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

▲ ▼ seedlings

▲ ▼ young plants

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ leaf

▲ ▼ stem with flowers

Artemisia biennis Willd., Biennial Wormwood: (Bayer Code: ARTBI; US Code ARBI2)

Summer annual or biennial common in northern Midwest
Has dark green, finely divided, usually hairless leaves with strong, medicinal odor
Has little branching of stems, or only branches from the base to form 1-5 feet tall (or taller plants)
Flowers in mid to late summer with tiny flowers in upper stem leaf axils
Prefers moist, fertile soil
Common in summer annual agronomic crops in northern Midwest
May appear somewhat similar to common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), but common ragweed has a more “peppery" odor that is not medicinal, and common ragweed has finely hairy leaves and much branching along the stem and main branches

(Updated January 19, 2019)