Absinth Wormwood

(Artemesia absinthium L.)

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

   

    seedling ▲

   

    young plants ▲▼

   

   

    leaves▲

   

    mature plant▲▼

   

    flowers ▲

Absinth Wormwood:  (mentioned on p. 81 of Weeds of the Great Plains—not in Weeds of the Northeast)

·         simple perennial with alternate, triangular, deeply-divided leaves that are gray-green in color

·         leaves have medicinal odor

·         usually well-branched, and grows 2-5 feet tall (flowering stems tallest)

·         is toxic to livestock and a non-native invasive weeds, particularly in northern part of Midwest-great plains area; a noxious weed in several states; not found much in Missouri, except in herb gardens

·         is one of the herbs used to make absinthe, a distilled spirit sold in Europe, but concern over its possibly psychoactive constituents made it illegal to make or sell in U.S. until 2007