The ascending stems are covered with short hairs. It is native to northeastern Asia and extreme northwestern North America Alaska. The simple lobed leaves are papery, pubescent, and dark green on the upper surface. Leaves are alternate.
The leaves near the base are elliptic and oblong, lobed deeply almost to the midrib. The leaves midstem are elliptic to ovate, 1. Leaf margins may be serrate. The flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers.
Mugwort is a perennial with an extensive rhizome system. Shoots emerge during the spring, and flowering occurs from July to late September. A single plant can, depending on its environment, produce up to , seeds.
Seed production does not seem to be a major factor in the spread of mugwort populations, however, and some biotypes do not produce viable seed. Instead, mugwort spreads largely through vegetative expansion and the anthropogenic dispersal of root propagules. The root system is extensive though shallow to 20 cm in depth , with numerous branching rhizomes up to 1 cm in diameter.
Plants can regenerate from rhizome fragments as small as 2 cm Klingeman et al. The rarely-seen seedlings have oblong cotyledons without petioles. Adult stems are smooth and longitudinally ridged, with numerous axillary branches towards the upper portions of the plant. The stems become somewhat woody as they age.
The leaves are alternate, densely covered with wooly, silver-white hairs on the underside, and slightly hairy on the upper surface. Leaf morphology is variable throughout the plant. The lower leaves are petiolate, with stipules at the base, and generally coarsely toothed and pinnately lobed.
The upper leaves are sessile and lanceolate with smooth or toothed margins. If you still want to grow mugwort, but have concerns about their invasive nature, planting them in containers or in isolation could be considered.
Check with your local extension office before planting. Mugwort prefers a location where they'll receive full sunlight during the day. They can, however, still cope in partial shade, too. Mugwort is tolerant of a variety of soil types , including those with high alkalinity or nitrogen content. Although it prefers slightly moist and well-draining soils, it survives well in dry and infertile conditions.
In fact, although the plants won't grow as high, it can result in more aromatic and long-lived specimens. This plant doesn't appreciate being over-watered. Excessively wet soils will usually result in root rot. Young plants benefit from watering to keep the soil lightly moist, but once Mugwort is well-established, it's pretty drought-tolerant. This species is known for surviving across a wide range of temperatures. If you live in a region that experiences high heat and humidity during the summer, however, the foliage can begin to droop and won't look as healthy.
The thick and tall stems can be prone to flopping too. Mugwort can be easily propagated via basal cuttings or by dividing the rhizomatous roots. Division of the roots can be done in the spring before the new foliage appears or fall, and establishing a cutting is best done in the late spring when new growth starts to appear. Mugwort harvesting can be done at different times of the year, depending on how you plan to use it. It's most commonly harvested in the fall in advance of the first frosts.
The top third of the plant can be cut off and hung in a dry and shady position to dry out. Mugwort seeds are best sown close to the soil surface in the early spring after a period of cold stratification. They appreciate plenty of light and should be kept moist. Like most herbs, Mugwort will thrive with repeated prunings throughout the growing season.
You can take up to a foot off the top which will encourage branching and help give mugwort its appealing shrubby look.
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