Wormwood harvest

So i cut down my wormwood today (grown from seed i bought). It grew huge. Bigger then i thought it would. I wanted it down before it set seed. It has a good smell. The taste is extremely bitter. Anyone grow it ever?

2 Likes

Did you brew up some absinthe? Be sure not to drink too much and cut your ear off.

Honestly, what was your plan for it?

3 Likes

No plan.

I use to take wormwood years ago as a supplement so i thought i’d try growing it. Its good for internal bugs and maybe other things. Its hugely important for malaria…

3 Likes

Yes, it is great to toss into a fireplace.

2 Likes

You burn it as a repentant?

1 Like

I read as a tea Woomwood is more effective then the derived drug. Drug makers focused on the wrong compound.

1 Like

Huh…it is very bitter…i’m a big tea drinker (mostly black tea///oolong)…sometimes i have green tea/ginseng… Maybe i’ll brew up a cup…

i’ll have to save some and compost the rest.

Just like to grow oddball stuff. This one was easy.

2 Likes

Repellent ? It just smells good. Dry it hang it in the closet and it will deter moths.

2 Likes

I grow Chinese/Japanese type of wormwood around my fruit trees to repell moth. I also cook young tips. Lime will take the bitterness away,

1 Like

I’ve never used it but here are the pros and cons http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-729-wormwood.aspx?activeingredientid=729

2 Likes

I usually root it every year (cuttings root easily, 'bout time to think about doing that). It is a nice ornamental in pots. You have to keep it trimmed down. Beautiful foliage.
Good idea to grow it around fruit trees - may try that. I wonder if the roots repel moles.
Gave it to my son when he had malaria. Had major improvement afterwards and completely recovered.

2 Likes

I have never tasted Absinthe.

Does the modern drink provide effects other than those from the high alcohol content?

1 Like

I have never had it either. I think the stuff they sell in the States is different than what they have in Europe. From my understanding, an absinthe binge was involved in Van Gogh cutting his ear off and giving it to a “friend.” That could just be a story though.

I do some home brewing and was going to try and make absinthe about ten years ago. I had one plant and a set of internet instructions. I read if you do it wrong you could go blind, so I scratched that idea.

2 Likes

Wormwood is a mild hallucinogen. Absinthe is essentially Anisette like Ouzo or Middle eastern Arak with a grand wormwood as one of its components. Anisettes have a unique property that when the alcohol concentration falls below certain concentration they turn milky white instantly. Anisettes have an ABV of 45-74%, so the chance of consuming enough thujone to have an effect are blunted as you will likely be stone drunk before the ghosts arrive.

I sometimes replace white wine with Anisette when I steam Muscles and Clams. Its great.

3 Likes

I had absinthe when I was in England around 2000. No hallucinogenic effects, even though I drunk a decent amount (I was younger then.) It was just a licorice flavoured spirit with a cool story.

3 Likes

Growing up in ND in the 70s wormwood was an invasive species. By law you had to kill it. Each plant could have as many as 1,150,000 seeds. It spreads fast and was a real problem. It is probably more invasive in dryer climates. If you grow it, harvest it before it goes to seed.

1 Like

I went to my community garden to prep my beds for the season when I found a huge Artemisia annua growing in the center. I transplanted it from the center to the corner of my bed. The tea I made from an undried stim was very pleasant. I bought some Artemisia absinthium to plant this season.

1 Like

Artemisia annua to be tested against coronavirus

2 Likes

I’ve got on that I have no idea what to do with, but it’s a pretty plant. Comes back reliably.

Wow this is exciting news. I have it all over the yard, front, back,side…neighbors’. I tried very hard to get rid of it. Although I do eat the young leaves
I notice that the fruit trees surrounded with this plant have less borer problem in the root