ARTEMISIAS ABROTANUM.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20363, 21 July 1934, Page 23 (Supplement)

ARTEMISIAS ABROTANUM.

There are a number of artemisias in cultivation. The majority have aromatic foliage and most of them have bluish green foliage and often are of a silvery hue. The flowers are not showy, being small and inconspicuous. Some of the varieties are very desirable rock plant? of a dwarf bushy nature. Among these best known is A. abrotanum, whicli rejoices in the popular names of southernwood, old man, and lad’s love. This forms a low bush about 2ft high. The grey-green, finely cut foliage gives it quite an ornamental appearance, and the aroma™ is well described as exhilarating. As with most of the “old” plants, it is credited with many real and supposed medicinfM virtues. It is said to be an anthelmintic but disagreeable to take, which is probably more truthful than the old-time belief that it would stop the hair from falling out, and if burnt it would drive away serpents. Southernwood is a plant that should not be omitted from any garden if it is desired to have a taste of the old-world herb garden. It is easily propagated by cuttings inserted in sandy soil and shaded for a few days till they are rooted. The plant is a native of Spain and Italy, but it is so freely distributed in England that many people consider it as a native;