Wormwood
Artemisia absinthium
Also called Absinthe wormwood, Green ginger and Artemisia
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitGrown for the silver foliage, not for eating — thujone is a nerve poison and it is not a culinary herb whatever the absinthe story suggests. It also suppresses what grows near it, so give it its own corner and keep it off the vegetable bed.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 12 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Not needed
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Very hardy RHS H7, to -25°C
- Size
- 0.9 m tall · 0.6 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- Europe and north Africa
Is it safe for pets and people?
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: vomiting, diarrhoea and drooling; in quantity, neurological effects. Not listed under its own name — this follows Artemisia dracunculus, which is.
ASPCA's entry is Artemisia dracunculus, the tarragon in this same file. This species carries far more thujone than that one, so the warning is carried across rather than dropped. It is grown for its foliage and is not a culinary herb.
Checked against ASPCA on 2026-09-22.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Plants within a foot or two of it growing poorly for no visible reason, and seedlings failing to establish nearby. It releases growth inhibitors from its roots and leaf litter — keep it away from a vegetable bed.Suppressing its neighbours · disorder
- A sprawling grey skeleton with growth only at the tips. Cut it back by half every spring as it starts into growth, never in autumn.Going woody · disorder