What Is a Mugwort Plant?

Form

• Growing in what the BioAfrica website calls "untidy" clumps, mugwort is a perennial that resembles a shrub. The plant grows in a bushy manner, with some reaching as tall as 36 inches. Its stems are much thicker at their bases than further up on the plant. Numerous smaller branches grow off the main stems.

Foliage

• The foliage of the mugwort plant closely resembles that of a fern, finely divided and very soft to the touch. The leaves are aromatic, giving off a pleasant scent when you crush them or even brush against them. They are green, but a coating of fine, whitish hairs on their undersides makes them have the appearance of being shades of grayish-green.

Flowers

• In its native soils, the mugwort blooms during March through May, but in North America, as a landscaping species, mugwort flowers during August and September. The yellow flowers are very small, making them insignificant in terms of their ornamental worth. They emerge at the ends of the branches.

Growing Condtions

• Nearly any well-draining soil with a degree of fertility supports the mugwort plant. It requires full sunshine to thrive and this species, as you would expect, does great in hot, dry climates. Mugwort is appropriate for planting between USDA zone 6 and 9. Wet soil is a deterrent to its growth. The foliage loses its appeal in climates that experience heavy summer rains and high humidity readings on a constant basis.

Landscaping Uses

• Plant mugwort in herb gardens, flowerbeds and along borders to provide contrast with the other plants. Rock gardens are also suitable venues for this nonnative plant. The aromatic nature of the leaves makes planting it along walkways and frequently paths an option, where it will give off its aroma when touched. Some people dry the foliage and utilize it in the making of potpourris.