monthly herb - July - Mugwort

Herb of the Month – July - Mugwort.

You will see mugwort tall and breaking flower in hedges and pathways this month. Its frilly leaf shape is distinctive and its silver underleaf shows its association with the moon.  

It has been widely used in cooking, usually as an aromatic seasoning or an infusion; and its bitterness flavoured beer before the introduction of the hop.  Mugwort is still a common seasoning in Chinese and Korean food.

It is one of those mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm. It has been used to treat a variety of ailments all around the world. It has been used to encourage menstruation and is thus not recommended for use during pregnancy. Roman soldiers stuffed it in their sandals to stop them getting tired feet and John the Baptist wore a mugwort girdle in the wilderness.

Mugwort is believed to affect our sleep patterns and is used both for keeping away sleepiness and to enhance lucidity in dreaming. For this latter purpose it can be rolled tightly, secured with a natural fibre and allowed to dry. It should then be burned and allowed to smoke out a sleeping area. You can buy many preparations from health food shops or you can go for a walk this month and collect your own.

The term ‘mugwort’ is used to describe a range of different but related herbs, the most common in Europe being Artemisa Vulgaris and a good plant book will ensure correct identification.  Culpepper recommends mixing it with daisies and using to help with the ‘overmuch taking of opium’: the author has not tested this.