Mugworts – Artemesia spp.

Common Name: Wormwood, Sagebrush

Botanical Name: Artemesia spp., ar-te-MIZ-ee-a

Decorative Life: 4-10 days.

Flower Color: White, Yellow

Availability: Year Round

While specific data are lacking, most likely this species would store well at 32 to 36F.

• This genus includes many species that are useful as ornamentals and herbs, including French tarragon (A. dracunculus), dusty miller (A. stellerana) and Sweet Annie (A. annua).
• In mythology, Artemesia was the wife of Mausolus.
• Sweet Annie is used in everlasting arrangements and wreaths but some people cannot tolerate the intense fragrance.
• Foliage can be used fresh or dried. As a fresh product, flowers and/or foliage can be used.
• The Compositae or aster family is vast, with over 20,000 species, and is also one of the most developed families. It was named Compositae because the flowers are actually a “composite” of many individual flowers into one head. Hence, when children pull one “petal” off at a time, saying “she/he loves me, loves me not”, they are actually removing a complete flower, not just a petal.

Gast (2000) noted that wilting is the most common reason vaselife ended and that flower food greatly extends vaselife compared to plain water.