Mugwort

Artemisia vulgaris L.

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

▲ ▼ young plants from creeping roots

▲ ▼ early summer growth

▲ ▼ leaves

▲ ▼ stem getting ready to flower

▲ ▼ mature, flowering plants

▲ flowerin stem

▲ creeping roots

Artemisia vulgaris L., Mugwort: (Bayer Code: ARTVU; US Code ARVU)

A creeping perennial weed, with creeping roots; more common north and east of here, but can be found in Springfield and Branson, Missouri
Lower stem leaves are triangular and are fairly deeply divided/lobed, similar to common ragweed or western ragweed, but lobe tips are more pointed
Upper stem leaves are smaller, less divided, may even be lanceolate and unlobed
Leaves have a strong herbal/medicinal fragrance
Grows 1.5-5 feet tall, often with much branching near the base to make a more pyramidal shrub shape
Found in row crops, lawns, vacant lots--prefers sandy, well-drained soils
Although not usually growing in same areas, mugwort may appear similar to absinthe wormwood, particularly when both plants are in the flowering stages, but mugwort usually will have greener leaf upper sides and slightly wider and more pointed-tipped lobes than absinth wormwood, which usually has silvery leaves (upper and lower sides) and slightly narrower and more rounded-tipped lobes

(Updated January 19, 2019)