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Seasonal yields
Sow indoors · Direct sow · Transplant outdoors
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Plant · P-174
Southernwood
Artemisia abrotanum
Southernwood is an aromatic, silvery-leaved shrub grown as a companion plant to repel insects rather than for looks - traditional use names it as protection for orchard fruit trees against moths and for cabbage beds against pests, and dried shoots kept among stored goods repel ants for six to twelve months. Its young shoots have a bitter, lemony flavor used sparingly in cakes, salads and vinegars, and its leaves have a long history of digestive and anti-parasitic medicinal use, though it must never be used internally during pregnancy. Unusually, it lives longer and stays more aromatic in poor, dry soil, so it does best left alone rather than fed or composted - the hard spring cutback that keeps it in shape is also where the insect-repellent dried shoots come from.
Record at a glance
Growing profile
- Sun
- Full Sun · Partial Sun
- USDA zone
- USDA 4–8
- Soil
- Sand · Loam
- Moisture
- Dry · Well-Drained
Vertical layer
Shrub- Soil pH
- 6.3–7.6
- Plant type
- Perennial
- Mature height
- 2–4 ft
- Mature spread
- 24–36 in
- Plant spacing
- 12–36 in
- Root type
- Tap
- Spread pattern
- Seed
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The deeper layer
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- Primary
- Locked ecological function
- Secondary
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- Byproduct
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Behind the record
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