Difference between revisions of "Southernwood"

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{{unreferenced|date=December 2006}}
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{{SPlantbox
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|familia=Asteraceae
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|genus=Artemisia
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|species=abrotanum
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|common_name=Southernwood
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|habit=shrub
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|lifespan=perennial
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|Temp Metric=°F
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|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
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|image=Artemisia abrotanum0.jpg
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|image_width=240
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|image_caption=Artemisia abrotanum
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}}
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'''Southernwood''' (''Artemisia abrotanum'') is a [[flowering plant]]. Found in [[Europe]], the genus ''[[Artemisia (plant)|Artemisia]]'' was named for the Goddess [[Artemis]]. Southernwood is known by many other names including Old Man, Boy's Love, Oldman Wormwood, Lover's Plant, Appleringie, Garderobe, Our Lord's Wood, Maid's Ruin, Garden Sagebrush, European Sage, Lad's Love, Southern Wormwood, and Lemon Plant.
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The plant is a member of the [[genus]] ''Artemisia'', along with mugwort and [[Wormwood]] (an ingredient in [[absinthe]]). Southernwood has a strong [[camphor]]-like odour and was historically used as an air freshener or [[strewing herb]].
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It forms a small bushy [[shrub]], which is widely cultivated by gardeners. The grey-green leaves are small, narrow and feathery. The small flowers are yellow. It can easily be propagated by [[cutting (plant)|cuttings]], or by division of the roots.
  
{{Taxobox
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{{Inc|
| color = lightgreen
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Artemisia abrotanum, Linn. Southernwood. Old Man. Shrubby, 3-5 ft., green and glabrous, the st. much branched and rather strict: Lvs. 1-3- pinnately divided, the divisions fine- filiform : panicle loose, with yellowish white heads. Eu.—Southernwood is grown for its pleasant-scent foliage; and it sometimes escapes into waste places. See Southernwood.
| name = Southernwood
 
| image = Artemisia abrotanum0.jpg
 
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
 
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
 
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
 
| ordo = [[Asterales]]
 
| familia = [[Asteraceae]]
 
| genus = [[Artemisia (plant)|Artemisia]]
 
| species = '''''A. abrotanum'''''
 
| binomial = ''Artemisia abrotanum''
 
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''Southernwood''' (''Artemisia abrotanum'') is a [[flowering plant]]. Found in [[Europe]] and [[Great Britain]], the genus ''[[Artemisia (plant)|Artemisia]]'' was named for the Goddess [[Artemis]]. Southernwood is known by many other names including Old Man, Boy's Love, Oldman Wormwood, Lover's Plant, Appleringie, Garderobe, Our Lord's Wood, Maid's Ruin, Garden Sagebrush, European Sage, Lad's Love, Southern Wormwood, and Lemon Plant.  
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{{Inc|
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Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum, which see for botanical account) is a European herb, aromatic, much branched, woody-stemmed, rather tender, perennial, 3 to 5 feet tall, with pale green or grayish often variegated leaves, small yellowish flowers and minute seeds. It is occasionally found in family gardens, where it is grown from seed (or more often from its easily rooted cuttings, which are most readily obtained in early summer) for its pleasant taste and tonic properties, which resemble those of wormwood. It is seldom offered by seedsmen in this country because of its slight importance.
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{{SCH}}
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}}
  
The plant is a member of the [[genus]] ''Artemisia'', along with mugwort and [[Wormwood]] (an ingredient in the popular and infamous liquor [[absinthe]], once widely banned, but available again in Europe and as of mid-2007 in the United States as well). Southernwood has a strong [[camphor]]-like odour and was historically used as an air freshener or strewing herb.
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==Cultivation==
 
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{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
It forms a small bushy [[shrub]], which is widely cultivated by gardeners. The grey-green leaves are small, narrow and feathery. The small flowers are yellow. It can easily be propagated by [[cutting (plant)|cuttings]], or by division of the roots.
 
  
==Uses==
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===Propagation===
===Medicinal===
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{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
Southernwood encourages [[menstruation]] (Culpeper 1653), is [[antiseptic]] and kills [[intestinal worms]]. It was used to treat [[liver]], [[spleen]] and [[stomach]] problems. It is seldom used medicinally today, except in [[Germany]], where [[poultice]]s are placed on wounds, splinters and skin conditions and it is employed occasionally to treat [[frostbite]]. Its constituents have been shown to stimulate the [[gallbladder]] and [[bile]], which improves digestion and liver functions. The leaves are mixed with other herbs in aromatic baths and is said to counter sleepiness. An infusion of the leaves is said to work as a natural insect repellent when applied to the skin or if used as a hair rinse is said to combat [[dandruff]].
 
  
===Historical===
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===Pests and diseases===
The Romans believed it protected men from [[impotence]]. It is also said that young men in areas like [[Spain]] and [[Italy]] rubbed fresh southernwood leaves (which were [[lemon]]-scented) on their faces to promote the growth of a beard.
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{{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
  
In rural areas, where southernwood was known as Lad's Love and Maid's Ruin, the herb acquired a reputation for increasing young men's virility. It was popularly employed in [[love potion]]s and adolescent boys rubbed an ointment on their cheeks to speed up the growth of facial hair. It is associated with sexual appeal and has been used by males to increase their virility. Southernwood was put under mattresses in [[Ancient Greece]] and [[Ancient Rome]] for its aphrodisiacal properties to rouse lust in its occupants. Its common nickname, Lad's Love, refers to the habit of including a spray of the plant in country bouquets presented by lovers to their lasses in order to seduce them. 
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==Species==
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<!--  This section should be renamed Cultivars if it appears on a page for a species (rather than genus), or perhaps Varieties if there is a mix of cultivars, species, hybrids, etc    -->
  
===Other===
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==Gallery==
A yellow dye can be extracted from the branches of the plant, for use with [[wool]]. Its dried leaves are used to keep [[moth]]s away from wardrobes. Burned as an incense, southernwood guards against trouble of all kinds, and the smoke drives away [[snake]]s (Culpeper 1653). The volatile oil in the leaves is responsible for the strong, sharp, scent which repels moths and other insects. It was customary to lay sprays of the herb amongst clothes, or hang them in closets, and this is the origin of southernwood's [[French language|French]] name, garderobe ("clothes-preserver"). Judges carried [[Posy|posies]] of southernwood and [[rue]] to protect themselves from prisoner's contagious diseases, and some church-goers relied on the herb's sharp scent to keep them awake during long sermons.
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{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
  
The pungent, scented leaves and flowers are used in [[Tisane|herbal teas]]. Young shoots were used to flavor pastries and puddings. In Italy, it is used as a culinary herb.
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<gallery>
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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</gallery>
  
==Sources==
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==References==
*Nicholas Culpeper, "The English Physician, or Herball", 1653, Bloomsbury Edition: 1985, Bloomsbury Books: London
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*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
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<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
*[http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Arte_abr.html Southernwood Spice Page]
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*{{wplink}}
*[http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1139/ Detailed information and pictures from PlantFiles]
 
*[http://www.smallflower.com/search/abrotanum Purchase Abrotanum (Southernwood)]
 
  
[[Category:Artemisia]]
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{{stub}}
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__NOTOC__

Latest revision as of 02:29, 27 January 2010


Artemisia abrotanum


Plant Characteristics
Habit   shrub

Lifespan: perennial
Cultivation
Scientific Names

Asteraceae >

Artemisia >

abrotanum >


If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!


Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is a flowering plant. Found in Europe, the genus Artemisia was named for the Goddess Artemis. Southernwood is known by many other names including Old Man, Boy's Love, Oldman Wormwood, Lover's Plant, Appleringie, Garderobe, Our Lord's Wood, Maid's Ruin, Garden Sagebrush, European Sage, Lad's Love, Southern Wormwood, and Lemon Plant.

The plant is a member of the genus Artemisia, along with mugwort and Wormwood (an ingredient in absinthe). Southernwood has a strong camphor-like odour and was historically used as an air freshener or strewing herb.

It forms a small bushy shrub, which is widely cultivated by gardeners. The grey-green leaves are small, narrow and feathery. The small flowers are yellow. It can easily be propagated by cuttings, or by division of the roots.


Read about Southernwood in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Artemisia abrotanum, Linn. Southernwood. Old Man. Shrubby, 3-5 ft., green and glabrous, the st. much branched and rather strict: Lvs. 1-3- pinnately divided, the divisions fine- filiform : panicle loose, with yellowish white heads. Eu.—Southernwood is grown for its pleasant-scent foliage; and it sometimes escapes into waste places. See Southernwood.


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.



Read about Southernwood in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum, which see for botanical account) is a European herb, aromatic, much branched, woody-stemmed, rather tender, perennial, 3 to 5 feet tall, with pale green or grayish often variegated leaves, small yellowish flowers and minute seeds. It is occasionally found in family gardens, where it is grown from seed (or more often from its easily rooted cuttings, which are most readily obtained in early summer) for its pleasant taste and tonic properties, which resemble those of wormwood. It is seldom offered by seedsmen in this country because of its slight importance. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Cultivation

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Propagation

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Pests and diseases

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Species

Gallery

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References

External links