Mugwort grows in almost every meadow on the ditch side. It is related to the absinthe, but the mugwort tastes much less bitter. Mugwort is so called because people used to put the leaves of mugwort in their shoes. As a result, the feet did not get tired during a long journey on foot. Mugwort can be eaten as a vegetable.NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Contents:

• Germanic power herb
• A proven medicinal herb
• Mugwort whorls
• Mugwort tea
• Mugwort against evil diseases
• How do you get mugwort?
• Smoking mugwort
• Medicinal properties of mugwort

Germanic power herb

Mugwort looks a bit like absinthe wormwood. The leaves are less hairy and the plant is much greener and not gray like its sister absinthe plant. In ancient Greece, mugwort was the plant of Queen Artemis. She was a woman who knew a lot about medicinal herbs. Her name was given to mugwort and 200 other related plants. In Latin the mugwort Artemisia vulgaris. In the Middle Ages it was called “the mother of all herbs”. Mugwort was already considered by the Germans as one of the nine power herbs. It was a magic herb as it was believed that those who carried mugwort were impervious to spells, harmful animals and poison. In Limburg a cross is made from the plant and worn as an amulet.Source: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

A proven medicinal herb

The medicinal properties of mugwort have found their way to China. Chinese medicine uses mugwort as a basis for moxa, which is placed on the energy lines of the body as an alternative to acupuncture needles. The medicinal value of mugwort has recently been confirmed by science because it was found that substances from mugwort can cure malaria.

Mugwort whorls

In the Netherlands it used to be a custom to dig out mugwort with its roots on St. John’s Day and weave wreaths from it. These were then thrown into the St John Fire. This protected them from all harm and made them invulnerable to disease. The plant protects against thieves, thunder and vermin. The devil would therefore hate the plant. He lost souls due to mugwort and therefore created absinthe so that people would be confused and accidentally pick the slightly hallucinogenic absinthe.

Mugwort tea

Mugwort can be used in a home-made herbal tea. You can drink mugwort tea from the tops of the plant. You can also dry the root to make tea. The leaves can be eaten as a wild vegetable. However, some people think it is a tasteless vegetable. In addition, it is not recommended to often eat this as a vegetable because it contains a toxic substance, albeit in small quantities. It contains thujone, which is also found in absinthe and was the main reason that spirits containing absinthe were banned.Source: Zubro, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)Like absinthe, mugwort should never be used during pregnancy. It was previously used as a means of abortion. Mugwort triggers miscarriages. 

Mugwort against evil diseases

Mugwort was widely used as a medicinal herb. The workings of evil spirits were seen as diseases. Hysteria, epilepsy, plague, cramps and tuberculosis were cured with mugwort. In Glasgow, mermaids are said to have sung to the crowd about consumption, which used to be the common name for tuberculosis. The mermaids sang: “You let men die in your hand, yet mugwort grows in the land.”

How do you get mugwort?

Mugwort is sold as a dietary supplement to combat fatigue and depression. According to the sellers, it also works against diarrhea and constipation. However, you don’t necessarily have to buy it because it is not difficult to find mugwort yourself. It grows in almost every pasture, especially on the edges. Especially in open wastelands, it is one of the first plants to establish itself. It often grows up as a weed in the garden. In fact, many plants we call weeds are medicinal herbs.Source: H. Zell, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

Smoking mugwort

Mugwort can be smoked and has the same effect as marijuana, only very mildly. Smoking this plant that grows everywhere in the Netherlands makes you feel slightly euphoric. Long-term use is strongly discouraged because it damages the nervous system and smoking is always unhealthy. In the past, mugwort was used as tobacco or added to a tobacco mixture. Smoking is said to cause lucid dreaming and make astral travel possible. Astral travel is traveling in your dreams. Some people say that they visit other planets in the astral world during their dreams. According to ancient folklore, mugwort was a dream herb. You can remember dreams better. It was also used as a sleeping aid by people suffering from insomnia.

Medicinal properties of mugwort

Like absinthe, mugwort is used as a medicine against internal worms such as tapeworm, roundworm, threadworm and ringworm. Mugwort is also used to combat irregular menstruation and menstrual pain. Furthermore, mugwort has been used as a medicine for depression, nervousness, exhaustion, gout, bruises, sciatica, colds, bronchitis, asthma, kidney problems and winter feet. Mugwort has a diuretic effect, which means it works as a diuretic. This makes it good for the liver, spleen and kidneys.

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