Mugwort

Mugwort is a tall, herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the daisy family Asteraceae. Native to temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, it has been widely naturalized across North America. The plant typically features upright, purplish stems with deeply lobed, dark green leaves that have a distinctive silvery-white, downy underside. Mugwort has a long history of traditional use in herbal medicine, culinary flavoring, and cultural rituals. Despite its beneficial properties in traditional contexts, it is often considered an aggressive weed in agricultural settings and its pollen is a well-known allergen capable of triggering hay fever symptoms in sensitive individuals during late summer.