As with a vast number of other botanicals, Mrs. M. Grieve’s A Modern Herbal (1931) gives extensive coverage, suggesting it for many an affliction while noting that it had been used to repel the larvae of clothes moths.
Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris, is said to have received its common name from having been used to flavour drinks such as beer before the introduction of hops, such beverage being drunk from mugs. As late as the closing years of the 19th-century it was still to be found as a substitute for tea in southwest England. Further north, in Scotland, highlanders used the young shoots as a potherb and the leaves smoked as a substitute for tobacco.
Botanically, the genus is named after Artemisia, the Greek goddess of the chase and the moon, who was twin sister of Apollo.
The Greek physician Dioscorides praised the plant while in medieval times it was known as St John’s Plant, Cingulum Sancti Johannis, as John the Baptist was believed to have worn a girdle of it in the wilderness. Sprigs were worn in Scandinavia as a sign of loyalty to the Norse king
More practically, the herbalists of 17th-century England wrote recommending mugwort for many an affliction. Parkinson considered it good against hysteria. Gerard suggested, ‘Mugwort cureth the shakings of the joints inclining to the Palsie.’ Nicholas Culpepper (1616-54), astrologer-physician of Spitafields, London explained in Culpeper’s Complete Herbal: ‘This is a perennial, frequent in waste grounds by the sides of waters and foot-paths . . . This is a herb of Venus. Its tops, leave and flowers are full of virtue; they are aromatic, and most safe and excellent in female disorders . . .’
As with a vast number of other botanicals, Mrs. M. Grieve’s A Modern Herbal (1931) gives extensive coverage, suggesting it for many an affliction while noting that it had been used to repel the larvae of clothes moths.
Traditional Chinese medicine utilizes the leaves to relieve headache; treat swellings and sprains; asthma, menstrual disorders; stimulate gastric activities; stop bleeding, according to the authorative Chinese Medicinal Herbs (Wee Yeow Chin & Hsuan Keng: 1992).
In The Complete Medicinal Herbal (1993), Penelope Ody records that Anglo-Saxons listed mugwort as one of the “nine sacred herbs” given to the world by the god Woden. It was also reputedly planted along roadsides by the Romans, who put sprigs in their sandals to prevent aching feet on long journeys. However, she warns about its use during pregnancy since it contains thujone.
The celebrated modern font of information, Richters 2010 Herb Catalogue notes that the bitter flower buds improve digestion of rich meat poultry and fish dishes, while the herb is used in Japan for moxibustion.
Today we have Gwyneth Paltrow, sometime actress and fulltime promoter of all that is wacky and wonderful. She is, as the National Post observed, ‘Separated, in debt, and isn’t getting any movie roles. What Keeps Her Goop-ing? Many things, apparently: Earlier this year found Paltrow pushing her flax and dandelion January detox plan to help people lose weight and purge their systems of “heavy metals, fire retardants and pesticides.”
Now we find her enthusing over her mugwort V-Steam treatments at the Tikkun Spa in Santa Monica, California that “cleanses” her private parts and uterus and provides an “energetic release.” Yes, you read that right: Paltrow, 43, steams her vagina with the mighty mugwort. Better yet, she says, “you have to do it!”
So we are brought down to orthorexia. The new-coined condition is defined as a pathological obsession for biologically pure and healthy nutrition. More pungently, persons who self-prescribe have been described as having a fool for a physician.
Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.
