Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris, is an herb that grows widely in the northeast. In fact, mugwort is easily one of the most prevalent weeds growing along the roadsides.
But, as with most weeds, if you get to know it you'll realize how valuable it is to have around.
Mugwort is part of the asteracea family (the same as dandelion, daisy, chamomile, artichoke, and many other familiar plants...it's a big family!). The leaves are deeply lobed, alternate, and pale as moonlight underneath. Both the undersides of the leaves and the stem are covered in a soft, fuzzy down. The stems can appear reddish, especially as the plant gets older.
Mugwort can grow about 2-5 feet tall. Its tiny greenish-white flowers bloom late in the summer, usually around August where I am. The whole plant has a delicious, spicy scent, and the leaves are very tasty (though possibly a tad bitter for some).
Lore and Spiritual Uses
Remember, Mugwort, what you made known,
What you arranged at the Great proclamation.
You were called Una, the oldest of herbs,
you have power against three and against thirty,
you have power against poison and against infection,
you have power against the loathsome foe roving through the land.- The Nine Herbs Charm
Mugwort has a long, rich history - it is one of the most ancient and revered plants and was often called the Mother of Herbs. It is a dreaming herb, an herb of protection, and the first herb mentioned in the Nine Herbs Charm, part of an Old English text called the Lacnunga. This charm called on nine plants of power, praising their abilities and asking them for healing. It also called on Wōden, the Old English name for Odin, to banish the illness. The charm was actually a galdor, or song, and was meant to be sung into the wound of the ill person while the healing mixture of plants was applied.
Mugwort was also said to guard travelers, keeping them safe from illness, weariness, evil spirits and wild animals. It was believed that putting it in the soles of shoes kept one's feet from getting sore and tired; Roman soldiers reportedly used it this way, and the Mongols rubbed it into their sore feet and legs after a long day in the saddle. The Saxons considered it one of the most important healing herbs, and there is an old Polish superstition that a woman wishing to conceive should gather mugwort from nine different fields to increase her fertility. Traditionally, wreaths and garlands of it were worn on Midsummer's eve for protection and blessings during the coming seasons.
Mugwort is often burned as a smudge to clear the air of bad spirits, much in the same way sage is used (in fact many of the smudge sticks sold in stores are made of a variety of Artemesia that grows in the desert out west). Toward the end of each summer, I harvest the tallest stalks of mugwort, the ones closest to the sky, and bind them with string to make saining bundles (saining is essentially the old Scottish version of smudging). The smoke is bit more acrid and earthy than sage, but very pleasing. And, as the sage usually found in metaphysical shops is so overharvested as to be in danger, it's much more ethical to harvest and burn mugwort instead.
Traditionally, mugwort has also been used in meditation, journeying and scrying. It is believed that it can help you connect to astral planes and get in touch with your subconscious. Placing a little pouch filled with dried mugwort under your pillow at night may give you lucid, even prophetic dreams.
A few years ago, I had a strange experience with mugwort. When I first moved into my house in late autumn, I felt a definite dark, shadowy sort of energy hanging around. When I burned sage it would dissipate for a while, but eventually I would feel it return (especially when I would come back to the house after a few days away). In the spring the following year, I went through a period where I was having terrible nightmares. I would wake up in a cold sweat, chilled to the bone and convinced that there was an intruder in the house. Finally, I had a dream that told me very clearly to cut a sprig of mugwort and hang it over my bed for protection.
All skepticism aside, when you get a straightforward message like that in a dream, it's a good idea to listen. So, the next day I hung a bundle of mugwort from a hook over the head of my bed. The bad dreams stopped and I felt the energy lighten considerably.
Medicinal and Practical Uses
Because of it's bitter taste, it makes a great digestive aid - a few leaves sprinkled in a salad can get the digestive juices going and support healthy liver function. I like to take the young plants and infuse them into vinegar to make a delicious, mineral-rich salad dressing base (the recipe is below!).
Mugwort is an herb of the moon and of the womb. Artemesia is named for Artemis, after all, a protector of women. Medicinally, it is indicated in cases where a woman's menses are scanty, irregular, and painful. Mugwort can alleviate cramps and tension, allowing stuck blood to flow. Old midwives used it to ease labor and encourage the delivery of the placenta. It was also used to even out a woman's cycle and bring on a period which is late (for this reason, herbalists do not recommend using mugwort during pregnancy). Because it can bring on menses, it's a good idea to use mugwort in moderation and carefully if you are prone to heavy bleeding.
Because mugwort helps to gently calm the nervous system, a tea of the leaves can be taken before bed to help with insomnia and restlessness (and like the little pouch of dried herb, may induce some interesting dreams). As the tea is bitter and warming, it can also help to ease digestion and reduce bloating and cramping in the stomach.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dried mugwort is rolled into downy little cones called moxa and burned over acupuncture points (this is called moxabustion) to relax muscles, increase bloodflow, and ultimately ease pain.
Growing and Harvesting
As mugwort is not native to North America and can easily spread and take over ecosystems, I strongly advise against planting (or transplanting) it to your garden. It's so prevalent that odds are you already have it growing close by, and you're almost certain to find it in any meadow, field, or even in abandoned lots.
Early spring into early summer is a good time to harvest the leaves if you'd like to use them for digestive and menstrual issues, or just as a mineral rich plant to add to your meals or infuse in vinegar.
If you'd like to work with the spiritual elements of mugwort, harvest just as the tiny flowers start to bloom in late summer. A man in one of the classes I was teaching said "harvest it when it grows to eye level for seeing" and I think that's a great way to think about it!
To harvest, cut down the stalks a few inches above the ground. If using the leaves fresh, just strip them off and compost the stalks. If you'd like to dry them, tie the stalks together and hang them up in bundles until dry, then strip off and use or store the leaves.
If you have the space, you can also strip the leaves and lay them out in a single layer to dry on screens. And if you'd like to dry them quickly, lay them out in a dehydrator on the lowest heat you can (~100F) for a few hours until dry. Store the dried leaves in a jar in a cool place out of the sunlight (for more info on drying and storing herbs, check out this post.)
Mugwort Recipes
Mugwort Vinegar
Stuff a clean mason jar full of roughly chopped fresh leaves, then add apple cider vinegar until all the plant material is covered. Cap, label, and shake daily for 4-6 weeks before straining out. The leaves may absorb a bit of the vinegar, so top it up if needed.
Mugwort Oxymel
An oxymel is a mixture of vinegar and honey - it's sweet with a zing and has a surprisingly refreshing effect when added in dashes to sparkling water or when used as a salad dressing. To make it, simply follow the instructions for the vinegar recipe above, but instead of just vinegar, cover the plant material in a mixture of 50/50 vinegar and honey. You can play with ratios, too, if you'd like it to be more or less sweet.
Mugwort Infusion
To make an infusion of mugwort leaves, simply steep 1-2 tbsp of the dried leaves in a mug of hot water for 10-15 minutes before straining.
Mugwort Saining Bundles
To make a saining bundle, first hang the plants up to dry by their stalks as described above. When they are dry, carefully snip the stalks and branches down to size - about 6-7 inches - and bundle them together. Tie a string around the end, and wrap it in a spiral pattern all the way to the top of the bundle, and in a spiral all the way down, making x-shapes as the strings cross over each other and tying it up at the bottom. Visualize your intention while you wrap, asking the plant for protection. Burn as you would sage.
Be well,
References:
The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra
A Druids Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year by Ellen Evert Hopman
As always, everything discussed in this post is strictly educational and is not meant to be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always do your own research and make sure a plant is safe for you to take.