This green plant, a member of the daisy family and genus, originates from Asia. In the mountains of the northern Chinese provinces of Chahar and Suiyuan, it is known as "Quinghao," where it has been cultivated for centuries.
However, annual mugwort has now also conquered other regions of our globe – the plant species can be found in many temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones worldwide, including all of Asia, Europe, and North Africa. It even tolerates the dry climates of deserts and semi-deserts, putting down roots there. However, annual mugwort thrives best on the Eurasian continent, where it can often be seen growing wild or cultivated.
The Latin name "Artemisia annua" has its origins in Greek. "Artemis" is the highly respected goddess of the hunt , the moon, and the forest, as well as the protector of children and women. As the name suggests, Artemisia annua is an annual plant. Its finely serrated leaves emit an aromatic fragrance due to their rich essential oils.
There are about 400 different species of mugwort worldwide. The name comes from this: after days of marching, Roman soldiers would rub their feet with mugwort plants to refresh themselves; hence, the "mugwort" became "mugwort." The most common mugwort native to our region is Artemisia vulgaris, which was already highly prized by the Germanic tribes and used for traditional and ritual purposes. Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is also a member of the mugwort family. Since the leaves have distinctively different appearances, it is not difficult to distinguish between the different species.
