Characteristics, uses and care of Artemisia absinthium

Artemisia absinthium

Today we are going to talk about a type of plant that serves both for ornamentation and for other uses. It’s about the Artemisia absinthium. It belongs to the Artemisia genus and the Asteraceae family. This family is made up of almost 500 species that originate from almost every continent on the planet. It is also known by the common names of absinthe, absinthe, ssensio, bitter artemisia or holy grass.

In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, care and benefits of the Artemisia absinthium.

Key features

It is a type of herbaceous plant with an evergreen leaf and a base with a shrub-like rhizome. It has some elect stems and has a compact bearing that It does not usually exceed a meter in height, even if it is developed in good condition. The leaves are characteristic since they are somewhat aromatic and can give off a certain smell in our garden that can help in ornamentation. These leaves have a silvery-gray color. Contrary to what happens with other plants, its flowers have little ornamental interest. These flowers are borne in hanging yellow heads and are small in size.

The flowering of this plant takes place in the summer season, which is also the harvest season. This is because more than as an ornamental plant it has some beneficial health properties such as fighting stomach problems, fevers and digestive problems.

It is a plant native to Western Europe and is distributed in practically all European countries. Mainly prefers dry, sunny soils that don’t need too much rainfall. It prefers soils that are not rich in nitrogen since it does not need too much organic matter to live. Although it prefers dry terrain, it can also be found in places with a bit more humidity.

If you want to have it in your home, it is a very easy species to grow. This makes the Artemisia absinthium it has been very easy to spread in practically all regions of the world. The bluish-green leaves are the ones with the most ornamental interest. Although the flowers are yellow, they are not very showy, so they do not have much interest for decoration.

Uses of Artemisia absinthium

This plant has various uses ranging from decoration to helping to avoid health problems. This is because they have very good medicinal properties. They are usually used in margins and rockery to contrast their leaves with plants that have reddish or green foliage. The leaves and flowers are also used to flavor some liqueurs and prepare infusions. As we have mentioned before, the most important thing about this plant are its leaves.

Another use of the Artemisia absinthium it is to improve health. It is known to be a plant that serves to improve the performance and health of the digestive system. This is due to the fact that it has some components such as absinthe and anabsintin that are capable of improving digestion by stimulating the digestive system. Thus, it is considered one of the best natural antibiotics. It can help treat conditions such as indigestion, excess gas, and the elimination of intestinal parasites. Wormwood has also been used as an assistant in liver and gallbladder problems.

It serves to increase the secretion of bile juices helping to decongest the liver and improve its functions progressively. The most normal thing is that it is used in the form of an infusion. If you take an infusion of this plant you can help reduce the discomfort caused by indigestion and heartburn. While you take advantage of this effect, it can serve to accelerate the digestive system, restoring appetite and being useful for those who suffer from anorexia.

It is also useful for those women who have some menstrual problems. It can help normalize cycles and helps, especially young people, who suffer from irregular periods. The Artemisia absinthium It can be used for the treatment of external wounds. To do this, it must be used as an ointment to help reduce muscle and joint pain.

It can be used for open wounds, ulcers or bites thanks to its antiseptic properties. There are people who use it to lose weight, since it increases metabolism and eliminates toxins in the body.

Caring for the Artemisia absinthium

If we want to have absinthe in our garden, we must know that it will need full sun exposure and that it is resistant to frost. Although it can live in sandy soils and with few nutrients, it is true that it can help its correct development that has some organic matter and is very well drained. Drainage is absolutely necessary if we want the plant to survive well. That is, if the irrigation water remains stored, it can cause various problems in the roots. For this reason, it is necessary that the soil has good drainage so that neither irrigation water nor rainwater accumulates.

It is a very resistant plant to drought so it will not need too much watering. It is more appropriate that we do waterings on a regular basis but that they have little water. Optionally, we can fertilize the plant with some compost or worm castings during the fall season. This fertilizer can be something more interesting in order to help the plant here to regain energy after the summer flowering season.

Nor should we worry about common garden pests and diseases, since they are quite resistant plants. What we should do To avoid any plague or disease is to control excess watering. Let’s not forget that it is a plant that hardly needs watering, so we should not be obsessed with it. If it rains frequently in winter, we shouldn’t even worry about watering.

The Artemisia absinthium It can be multiplied through division of the bush or from seeds sown in spring. The second is much slower but we can have new copies. The division of the bush can be done if you want to multiply more quickly.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the a Artemisia absintheum

Characteristics, uses and care of Artemisia absinthium

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