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Habitats
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Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Hedge;
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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts:
Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.
The young shoots have a bitter, lemony flavour and are used in small quantities as a flavouring in cakes, salads and vinegars[1, 4, 7, 183, 244]. A tea is made from the young bitter shoots[183].
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Anthelmintic; Antiseptic; Cholagogue; Deobstruent; Emmenagogue; Stomachic; Tonic.
Southernwood has a long history of domestic herbal use, though it is now used infrequently in herbal medicine[254]. It is a strongly aromatic bitter herb that improves digestion and liver function by increasing secretions in the stomach and intestines, it stimulates the uterus and encourages menstrual flow, lowers fevers, relaxes spasms and destroys intestinal worms[238, 254]. The herb, and especially the young flowering shoots, is anthelmintic, antiseptic, cholagogue, deobstruent, emmenagogue, stomachic and tonic[4, 7, 165]. The main use of this herb is as an emmenagogue, though it is also a good stimulant tonic and has some nervine principle[4]. It is sometimes given to young children in order to expel parasitic worms and externally it is applied to small wounds in order to stop them bleeding and help them to heal[7]. The herb is also used externally in aromatic bathes and as a poultice to treat skin conditions[268]. Southernwood should be used internally with caution, see the notes above on toxicity. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, since it can encourage menstrual flow[238].
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Other Uses
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Dye; Essential; Hair; Hedge; Hedge; Incense; Pot-pourri; Repellent.
Insect repellent. The growing plant repels fruit tree moths when growing in an orchard[6, 14, 18, 20]. The fresh plant can also be rubbed onto the skin to deter insects[7]. The shoots can be dried for indoor use, they remain effective for 6 - 12 months[169]. They are also said to repel ants[201]. Shoots can be burnt in the fireplace to remove cooking odours from the house[201]. The leaves have a refreshing lemon-like fragrance and are used in pot-pourri[245]. An essential oil from the leaves and flowering shoots is used in perfumery in order to add certain subtle tones[7]. A yellow dye is obtained from the branches[14, 268]. Plants can be grown as a low hedge, they tolerate quite hard clipping[200, 201]. An infusion of the plant is used as a hair tonic or conditioner[201].
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Cultivation details
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Succeeds in most soils, preferring a well-drained one that is not too rich[1, 11]. Easily grown in a well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline loamy soil, preferring a sunny position[1, 200]. Plants are longer lived, more hardy and more aromatic when they are grown in a poor dry soil[245]. Tolerates a pH in the range 6.3 to 7.6. Established plants are drought tolerant. Plants succeed in maritime gardens[233]. Southernwood is often grown in the herb garden, the leaves are very aromatic[182]. It is best to cut the plant back fairly hard every spring in order to keep it compact and encourage plenty of new growth[233, 268]. The plant rarely produces flowers in British gardens[11]. A good companion plant for cabbages[14, 18, 20]. It is also a good plant to grow in the orchard, where it can help to reduce insect pests[201]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
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Propagation
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Seed - surface sow from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 15°c[134]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. Once the seedlings are more than 15cm tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or summer. Cuttings of young wood 8cm long, May in a frame[169]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame[1].
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 You can download this page as a PDF
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Botanical References
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1150200
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Links / References
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
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Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
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[6]Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose.
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Details on some of the useful wild plants of Britain. Poor on pictures but otherwise very good.
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[7]Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.
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Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
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[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
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A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
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[14]Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs.
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A good herbal.
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[18]Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants.
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Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
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[20]Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening.
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Fairly good.
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[134]Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2.
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Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
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[165]Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
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An excellent small herbal.
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[169]Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.
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Covers all aspects of growing your own clothes, from fibre plants to dyes.
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[182]Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos.
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Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
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[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
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Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[201]Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting.
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A well produced and very readable book.
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[233]Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
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A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
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[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
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A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
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[244]Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs
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Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.
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[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.
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An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
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[254]Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
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An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
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[268]Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism
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Excellent herbal with good concise information on over 400 herbs.
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Subject : Artemisia abrotanum
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