Artemisia pontica
Roman wormwood
Family AsteraceaeAlso called small absinthe
About
Roman wormwood is a finely divided grey aromatic perennial used to flavour vermouth and absinthe.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Mature size
- Up to 100 cm tall.
Field notes
Morphology
Rhizomatous perennial with erect stems up to 100 cm, smaller in stature and leaf than common wormwood. The grey foliage is finely divided and aromatic; small yellowish flowers sit in loose panicles at the stem tips.
Distribution & habitat
Originates in southeastern Europe around the Black Sea (Pontus); naturalised across Eurasia from France to Xinjiang and found wild in northeastern North America.
Cultivation notes
Grown commercially for flavouring.
History & etymology
Called 'little absinthe' in contrast to A. absinthium. Its essential oil contains cineole, camphor, thujone and borneol; it is less bitter than common wormwood and is the main flavouring of vermouth.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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