Absinthe, the herb used to flavor the drink of the same name, is an herbaceous perennial native to Eurasia. It can be weedy in disturbed areas and has been naturalized in waste places in the northern United States. In the landscape, it is used as a cultivated ornamental with Its soft, gray foliage; it makes a good choice for toning down brighter colored flowers. Consider planting it in borders, beds, or even rock gardens. It propagates by seed, though they germinate slowly. Plant in full to part sun and well-drained, loam to loamy clay, moist to moderately dry soil– some gravel or poor fertility is okay. Space these plants 5 feet apart and they will grow to an average height of 3 feet tall. As they may become leggy in part sun or too fertile soil, pinching back the tips in spring will help promote shorter, bushier growth. Deadhead flowers to prevent self-seeding. While Absinthe was once banned in the US from use in food and drink, the reasoning being that the compounds within were high enough quantities to be toxic, the ban has been lifted as of 2007. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Absinthe is a food source for a number of aphid, moth, and grasshopper species, but its aromatics generally deter herbivorous mammals including rabbits and deer. Prone to root rot in wet soils. May struggle to thrive in NC's humid summers. This plant is a noxious weed in the Midwest. More information on Artemisia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect; Multi-stemmed
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate; Pinnatifid; Pinnatisect
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf value
Fragrant; Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are silvery-green, alternate, broadly ovate, and finely divided into blunt, narrow, pinnatifid segments. The length can reach between 1-3 inches with a width of roughly .5-1.5 inches and may differ in shape and size– basal leaves tend to be larger and more deeply lobed while upper leaves are smaller and more simple. The surfaces are covered with silvery hairs on both sides. Its soft, gray foliage makes it a good plant for toning down brighter colored flowers. The leaves of most species are strongly scented, almost sage-like; however, the scent can be unpleasant when crushed.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Head; Panicle
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are small, drooping heads of greenish-yellow florets. While the whole panicle can range from 4-8 inches by 4-5 inches in size, each individual floret is only 1-2 mm. Florets on the margins of each head only have pistils while the central flowers have bost pistils and stamens. This plant's season is late summer to early fall and blooms for about 2-3 weeks.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
A type of achene called a cypsela, the fruits are very small and narrow. They are almost perfect cylinders, the top rounded and the bottom tapered.
Stem color
Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Grey-green stems that may be either smooth or covered in small, downy hairs. May develop some woodiness at the base and where the stems meet.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe to Siberia and W. Himalaya
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Uses (ethnobotany)
It was used medicinally to flavor the drink absinthe, and in seasonings for food and drink. It has a very bitter taste.
TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Poisonous through ingestion. Overuse can lead to nervousness, stupor, convulsions, and potentially death. May cause contact dermatitis.