Mugwort is a perennial flowering plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae) native to temperate Europe, Asia, North Africa, and Alaska, and is naturalized in North America, including North Carolina. It is considered an invasive weed in some areas and can be found growing along roadsides, waste places and uncultivated areas as meadows. Mugwort grows 2 to 4 feet tall and spreads by rhizomes but rarely produces viable seeds in temperate areas. If plowed under, any piece of the root is capable of making a new plant. It prefers full sun, well-drained soil and alkaline soils. The panicle of greenish-yellow or reddish-brown flowers appears in mid-summer to early fall above the lobed green leaves with woolly undersides. The plant has a long history of herbal use. Control of the weed is by mowing to prevent seed formation, pulling of young plants and landscape fabric. Chemical control is with glyphosate, triclopyr or clopyralid plus a surfactant if desired. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Root rot can occur in too moist soils. Common pests include aphids, mites, scale, and leaf beetles, although the fragrant leaves help deter them. More information on Artemisia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblong
Leaf margin
Lobed; Serrate
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Basal leaves are elliptic, oblong, and deeply lobed. The leaves mid stem are elliptic to ovate, Up to 4 inches long and 2.5 inches wide and lobed pinnately or bipinnately. Leaf margins may be serrate. Undersides are paler with hairs.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Insignificant; Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Each flowerhead is 1/8" across or a little larger and consists of numerous rayless florets with thread-like pistils extending out from the center. They are egg-shaped and erect to drooping. Color is dull yellowish-green to reddish-brown. Blooms July-October.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Achene is small and lightweight and is blown by the wind.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
The purple-brown stems are largely hairless except on the flowering stems. They are angular and furrowed.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Eurasia, Alaska, N. Africa
Distribution
Eastern and central USA, NW USA and Canada
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Achene
Uses (ethnobotany)
Mugworts have been used medicinally and as culinary herbs. Leaf aroma helps repel insects.