Artemisia abrotanum (Tall wormwood)

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	Beginner skill rating
	1m max. spread
	1m max. height
	5-10 years to maturity
	1 hour care per year

Botanical name: Artemisia abrotanum

Other names: Southernwood, Sweet Benjamin, Medicinal wormwood, Sabbath day posy, Slovenwood, Maiden's ruin, Maid's love, Maid's passion, Boy's love, Lad's love, Old man, Tall wormwood

Genus: Artemisia

Species: A. abrotanum - A. abrotanum is an erect, doeciduous to semi-evergreen sub-shrub with fragrant, finely divided, grey-green leaves and nodding panicles of yellow-grey flowers in late summer.

Artemisia abrotanum is: Deciduous

Flower: Pale-yellow, Grey in Summer

Foliage: Grey-green, Green in Summer

Fragrance: The foliage has aromatic leaves

Habit: Bushy, Clump-forming, Compact, Erect

Awards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

Companion planting: The preyty silvery leaves of this plant work well with pink and purple cistus, and orange lillies or poppies.

Plant with: Papaver alpinum L. (Alpine poppy), Lilium henryi (IX) (Henry's lily), Cistus 'Silver Pink' (Rock rose 'Silver Pink'), Cistus x purpureus (Purple-flowered rock rose), Papaver commutatum 'Ladybird' (Poppy 'Ladybird'), Cistus x cyprius (Common gum cistus), Cistus x dansereaui 'Decumbens' (Rock rose 'Decumbens'), Papaver 'Frances Williams' (Poppy 'Frances Williams'), Papaver aurantiaca (Poppy aurantiaca), Solidago 'Goldenmosa' (Goldenrod 'Goldenmosa'), Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' (Rough-stemmed goldenrod 'Fireworks')

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Watch out for

Specific pests: Aphids

General care

Pruning: These plants tend to get straggly with growth and regular pruning encourages bushy growth. Cut back in autumn. (but in cold areas do not cut until spring.) Also pinch out the shoot tips of young plants to encourage bushy growth. To renovate, cut all stem. REGISTER to read more...

Propagation methods: Seed, Semi-hardwood cuttings. REGISTER to read more...

Artemisia abrotanum (Tall wormwood) will reach a height of 1m and a spread of 1m after 5-10 years.

Suggested uses: Cottage/Informal, Drought Tolerant, Drying, Flower Arranging, Beds and borders, Low Maintenance, Mediterranean, Foliage only

Cultivation: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or part shade.

	This plant likes...	Garden match
Soil types:	Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage:	Well-drained
Soil pH:	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light:	Partial Shade, Full Sun
Aspect:	South, East, West
Exposure:	Exposed, Sheltered
Hardiness:	Hardy (H4)