🌿 Wormwood

Artemisia absinthium

herbs perennial sub-shrub / herb Asteraceae

☀️ Sun

full sun

💧 Water

low (extremely drought-tolerant; water only during prolonged drought)

🗺️ Zones

4, 9

🧪 Soil pH

6.0, 8.0

🪴 Soil Type

well-drained, poor to moderately fertile; tolerates poor, rocky, alkaline soil

🚿 Drainage

well-drained to dry (essential , rots in wet soil)

📏 Spacing

18, 24 inches

📐 Height

24, 48 inches

⏱️ Maturity

365 days (perennial, harvest leaves first year)

Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone

🤝 Companions (5)

🤝 Currant

Wormwood deters currant borers and aphids; planted at bush edges it protects without competing through different root zones.

🤝 Fruit Trees

Wormwood planted at orchard edges deters codling moths, apple maggot flies, and peach borers; its allelopathy doesn't affect deep-rooted mature trees.

🤝 Lavender

Both are drought-loving Mediterranean perennials; combined scents create a powerful insect-repellent border hedge.

🤝 Rose

Wormwood's strong scent deters aphids, rose chafers, and Japanese beetles from roses; its silver foliage complements rose colors.

🤝 Rue

Both are powerfully bitter, insect-repelling Mediterranean herbs; combined they create an extremely effective pest-barrier planting.

⚠️ Keep Apart (7)

⚠️ Anise

Wormwood is allelopathic to anise; inhibits anise germination and stunts growth of any anise plants that do emerge.

⚠️ Bean

Wormwood is strongly allelopathic , its root exudates and fallen leaves inhibit bean germination and kill nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

⚠️ Carrot

Wormwood's root exudates stunt carrot root development and reduce germination; carrots planted near wormwood produce small, bitter roots.

⚠️ Dill

Wormwood suppresses dill growth through root allelopathy; dill's delicate flavor can be tainted by wormwood proximity.

⚠️ Pea

Wormwood's allelopathic compounds inhibit pea root development and nodulation; peas will fail to thrive within 3-4 feet.

⚠️ Sage

Despite being recommended as a companion by some, wormwood's allelopathy can stunt sage growth if planted within 3 feet; keep significant distance.

⚠️ Tomato

Wormwood inhibits tomato growth through strong allelopathy; even leaf-wash from wormwood rain runoff can stunt tomatoes.

📝 Growing Notes

Powerful allelopathic plant , root exudates and leaf litter inhibit germination and growth of many other plants. Do not plant in vegetable gardens. Use as a border hedge where its growth-inhibiting properties are beneficial (edges of property, paths). Primary ingredient in absinthe (with anise and fennel). Extremely bitter , one of the most bitter plants known. Silver-gray feathery foliage is highly ornamental. Deer and rabbit proof. Repels moths (use dried leaves in sachets). Attracts few beneficial insects. Do not plant near legumes or vegetables.

🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Johnny's Selected Seeds Botanical Interests True Leaf Market Burpee Territorial Seed Company

Plot Buddies is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our plant recommendations. We only link to retailers we trust.