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.