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After the holidays and before we start thinking spring, Master Gardeners are given a chance to write about interesting and lighter topics. I came across an interesting article by Lynn Meyer. She is an Arboretum Horticulturist who wrote about wormwood.

Artemisia absinthium or wormwood has a history and folklore reputation that has followed it for centuries. It is said to have grown in the slender path left by the serpent as it slithered away in victory at the Garden of Eden. A dry, bitter, drink of Swiss origin, was concocted from it that contained 68 percent alcohol, anise, hyssop, sweet flag, dittany and Melissa that became a popular cure-all in the 18th century.

Writers and artists made absinthe famous, calling it the “Green Muse.” Unfortunately, scientists later discovered that large doses of wormwood induced hallucinations, convulsions, and delirium, and could lead to permanent mental illness. A chemical in wormwood called thujone is responsible for this disorder, known as absinithism. The substance was banned in the United States and most of Europe by 1915.

Artemisin absinthium has been used for nearly 2,500 years to cure stomach aches and to protect from the evil eye, the plague, lightening, and the bite of the sea monster. The common name wormwood was used as early as the first century A.D. for a remedy for intestinal worms. North American Indians used it to cure scurvy, jaundice, and indigestion.

Woodworm is a hardy, deciduous subshrub with deeply divided, grayish green leaves. It is best used as a border plant or informal hedge.

The foliage is attractive in herbal decorations. The aromatic leaves are intensely bitter and remember that they were used as a flavor for alcoholic drinks that are now regarded as toxic.

The foliage is picked in the summer and can be used as a fresh or dried arrangement. It is particularly effective when paired with red or purple foliage or flowering plants. The plant is also effective in repelling insects in the garden, particularly aphids.

Lambrook Silver is a popular cultivar of wormwood. It has finely-divided, silky, silver-grey foliage. The foliage appears this way because of tiny hairs which cover both the upper and lower leaf surface. Lambrook Silver will reach a height of 2-1/2 feet. The tiny, grey flowers should be pruned off when they develop. This prevents them from distracting from the look of the silvery foliage and keeps the plant robust. Plants can be cut back and shaped anytime during the growing season through the end of August to encourage healthy new growth.

Artemisia absinthium is native to disturbed areas in Europe and Siberia, and is found naturalized in North America. It is found in Minnesota in dry fields, roadsides, and waste places. Lambrook Silver enjoys conditions that mimic its natural habitat, thriving in hot, dry, sunny spots. It likes loose, airy, sandy soils that drain freely. If planted in soil that stays wet for extended periods of time this plant will develop root or crown rot. This is especially true during the dormant season. The real plus for Lambrook Silver is that it requires no fertilizer and is very winter hardy without any protective care. It is seldom affected by insect or disease and does not spread invasively with underground runners. This is not true for its cousins Silver King and Silver Queen, which are much more vigorous.

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In Your Yard and Garden

I don’t know about you, but there seems to be a new seed catalog in my mailbox every few days. They used to come all at once right after Christmas, but like the holiday season advertisements, they have started coming much sooner the past few years. I put them all in a cloth tote along with a couple of markers and take them with me. Then whenever I have a few minutes between appointments, waiting for someone or just need a break, I can pull one out and start marking the things I must try this year. Then sometime in January or February I can sit down with a hot cup of tea and decide what I really have room and time for. Too many times I’ve ordered a few here and there and suddenly find I have way more than I can possibly plant!

Ways to Access Information

The voice mail is checked year round. Leave a message at 651-674-4417 ext. 18, and a Master Gardener will return your call.

www.extension.umn.edu/county/chisago

Check out the 'Hot Topics' box in the middle of the page for current Chisago County Master Gardener news and events. You can also click on 'Ask a Master Gardener' next to the flower on the right hand side of the page. Here you can search 1000's of answers from Master Gardeners around the state. If you don't find your answer you can submit a question online or search for University publications.

Bell Museum of Natural History –– for information about snakes, skunks, raccoons or other wildlife around your yard, call the wildlife information line at (612) 624-1374 or www.bellmuseum.org.

To see the latest Yard and Garden newsletter, go to: http://www.exten sion.umn.edu/yardandgarden/

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