Wormwood

Identity

Common Name

Wormwood

Scientific Name

Artemisia absinthium

Botanical Family

Asteraceae

Native Region

Europe and the Mediterranean

Cultivation Regions

Europe, Asia, North Africa, temperate regions

Plant Parts Used

Aerial parts

Synonyms

Absinthe Wormwood, Green Ginger, Absinthe

Caffeine Level

Caffeine Free

A tall perennial with deeply divided finely dissected silvery-gray-green feathery aromatic leaves and small nodding clusters of pale yellow flower heads; the aerial parts are used.

Historical Background

Wormwood has been a European and Mediterranean bitter since antiquity, its aromatic silver leaves used to dispel worms and kindle digestion, and famously to flavor absinthe. Brewed in small doses as a digestive bitter, it is a potent, thujone-containing herb that demands respect and short, cautious use.

Earliest recorded uses: European, Egyptian, and Greco-Roman traditions since antiquity; a bitter digestive and worm-dispelling herb.

Traditional Uses

These uses document historical traditions and do not imply proven effectiveness.

Flavor & Aroma

Aroma: Intensely bitter, aromatic, herbaceous, sage-like

Tea Information

Research Summary

Wormwood has a tradition as a bitter digestive and antiparasitic; preclinical work shows antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, but thujone is neurotoxic at high doses. Clinical evidence is insufficient; it is not a treatment for parasites, indigestion, or any disease, and its thujone content warrants small, short-term, cautious use.

Evidence levels reflect the currently available scientific literature and may change as new research emerges. Where evidence is limited or conflicting, this is stated plainly.

References & Sources