Amazing Artemesias

Artemis - Goddess of the herbalist - gives her name to a genus of marvelously aromatic, safely psychedelic, highly medicinal, dazzlingly decorative, and more-or-less edible plants in the Asteraceae family. I love Artemis, and I love her plants.

WHO IS ARTEMIS?

Amazonian moon goddess. Goddess of the hunt. Goddess of the wild things. Goddess of the midwife. Goddess of the herbalist. Mother of all Creatures. Leader of the sacred bitches. Great she-bear. Diana. Selene. Ever Virgin; owned by no man. We will visit her sacred wood on a shamanic journey. Who knows what will happen then.

HOW DO ARTEMISIAS GROW IN YOUR GARDEN?

Most Artemisias are perennials and grow best from cuttings, not seeds. Sweet Annie is the exception, being a self-seeding annual. Although you can buy tarragon seeds, you can't grow true tarragon from them. Wormwood and southernwood and tarragon (the last not winter-hardy in many places) are woody perennials which regreen each year on last year's new wood; I prune only dead wood from them. Cronewort is an invasive perennial that creeps underground; it dies back to the ground each year and can be heavily harvested (clear cuts are ok) without damage to its further prolific productivity.

Most Artemisias require little care. Lack of soil nutrients and lack of water do not faze them. Many are native to deserts, and know how to thrive in hot dry weather. Except for tarragon, all can overwinter without fuss.

Flowers are usually small and green, in other words, nearly invisible.

WHAT DO ARTEMISIAS CONTAIN?

• bitter principals: wormwood
  
• coumarins: cronewort, tarragon
  
• essential oils (complex, variety specific, with hundreds of components per plant): cronewort (high in camphor, thujone), tarragon, wormwood (high in camphor, thujone)
  
• flavonoids: cronewort, tarragon
  
• glycosides: cronewort, tarragon
  
• hormones: cronewort (sitosterol, stigmasterol)
  
• sesquiterpene lactones: cronewort

HOW ARE ARTEMISIAS USED?

Artemisias, with their grey-green or white-green foliage bring beauty to the garden throughout the growing season. They also make long-lasting, aromatic and beautiful indoor decorations: bouquets, wreaths, swags. They are popular strewing herbs, too.

Those which are high in essential oils are thereby antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial. They also improve digestion and appetite if taken in small doses.

Any Artemisia growing beside the door - or painted on it - was, in days of old, the sign of the midwife, the herbalist. Magical and folkloric uses are numerous.

"Mugwort possesses both natural and supernatural qualities. [It] excels as a woman's herb, easing the pain of labor, menstrual cramps, and effectively treating various uterine complaints."
Gai Stern (1986)

Cronewort/mugwort = smudge, dream pillow, moxa, birthing steam, vinegar of roots and young leaves, salad green when young, mugwort noodles, mugwort mochi. American colonists used the sundried leaves as a tea substitute. Formerly a popular beer flavoring (hence the name mugwort). Controls worms in goats. Urinary tonic. Uterine tonic. Digestive tonic. Nerve tonic. Circulatory tonic. Cronewort eases pain and fever, comforts grief and depression, eases irritability and burdened joints, brings peace and sleep, and reassures the nerves.

Moxa demonstration and discussion.

"That torturous, barbaric practice, the use of the moxa, is closely related to this plant."
Millspaugh (1892)

Wormwood = tincture, oil. Ingredient in absinth. Stimulates mid-brain activity and increases creativity, but repeated use disturbs the central nervous system. Prevents giardia, dysentery, amoebas. Cholagogic, digestive, appetite-stimulant, liver-stimulant, wound healer. Caution: Use can lower seizure threshold; interacts adversely with seizure-reducing medications.

Sweet Annie = capsules, in fairly large daily dose, to prevent malaria; source of antimalarial drugs. A strong tea, taken frequently, kills giardia and amoebas.

Tarragon = vinegar, seasoning. Appetite stimulant according to Herbal PDR.

Southernwood = dream pillow, sachet, charms. To see the beloved.

SPECIES

Some of the many Artemisia species that herbalists and gardeners use:

• A. abrotanum (southernwood)
  
• A. absinthium (wormwood)
  
• A. afra (African wormwood)
  
• A. annua (sweet Annie, qing hao)
  
• A. camphorata (camphor-scented sothernwood)
  
• A. drancuncula (tarragon, estragon, little dragon)
  
• A. frigida (fringed sagebrush)
  
• A. lactiflora (ghost plant)
  
• A. ludoviciana (silver queen)
  
• A. pontica (Roman wormwood)
  
• A. schmidtiana (silver mound)
  
• A. stellerana (old woman, dusty miller)
  
• A. tridentata (sagebrush; three-toothed sagebrush)
  
• A. vulgaris (cronewort, mugwort)

Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material contained herein is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.

Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081

Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

Susun is one of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women's health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at http://www.susunweed.com

---

Hemorrhoids ? What Do I Need To Do?

There are many unpleasant symptoms and diseases associated with constipation.... Read More

Constipation Relieved Naturally

Constipation is a problem that affects many Americans every day.... Read More

Top 3 Yogis Secrets for Health and Happiness

For hundreds of years, the yogi's have been known to... Read More

How to Use the Subconscious to Cope with Body System Triggers of Your Pain

The musculoskeletal, immune and endocrine systems can all be potent... Read More

Hypnosis

HYPNOSIS is a state of induced but conscious sleep through... Read More

Garlic ? My Favorite Healing Herb

Garlic is a wonderful healing herb and, unlike many of... Read More

Treating West Nile Virus with High Quality St. Johns Wort

West Nile Virus, although new to the U.S., is well-documented.... Read More

Constipation: the Fast, Easy Answer to Something No One Talks About

Everyone jokes about constipation, but it's no joke if you're... Read More

The Importance of Touch

Through the simple process of touch, Reflexology is so effective... Read More

Constipation: A Serious Health Concern

How often do you go to the bathroom and have... Read More

Guide To Some Common Herbs That Heal

Herbs have long been an acceptable way to fight common... Read More

Dangers of Dehydration - And The Importance of Kidney Cleansing

The human body is composed of 75 percent water and... Read More

Mental Health Maintenance Is Made Simple

Your mental health is often drastically improved when you use... Read More

Are You Really Overweight?

If you are overweight, you know it by how you... Read More

How I Was Overtaken By Evil Eye Envy!

You are about to embark on a journey that only... Read More

Focus Your Light: Earning Money From Home When You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome /Fibromyalgia

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome /Fibromyalgia makes you extremely tired, exhausted and... Read More

A Stitch In Time Saves Nine - Prevention not Cure

It is a sad fact that most people pay little... Read More

The 5 Hidden Dangers In Toothpaste

A Must Read if You Have Children!Would you allow your... Read More

What Happens During a Pain Relief Visualization Session

A visualization session is an hour-long conversation with your subconscious... Read More

What are the Best Roles for Western and Alternative Medicine?

I think it's very confusing for patients to decide what... Read More

Precious Gems of Wisdom

The New Age should also be called The Stone Age,... Read More

Is Green Tea Good for Me?

Scientific studies continue to show that green tea is good... Read More

Improving Your Body Immune System

The immune system in your body is an amazing functionality... Read More

What is Sound Therapy?

As energetic beings, our electromagnetic energy field (aura) vibrates at... Read More

Drug Addiction Treatment Centers: A Fresh Start

Half a decade ago, I started working on a hotline... Read More