The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The genusArtemisiacontains about 300 species.
It will grow quickly, achieving full size within a couple of months.
Established clumps will return quickly each spring.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
For humans, many species are mildly toxic.
They will grow best in afull sunlocation, although most varieties can handle part shade.
Most types like dry to medium-moisture soilwell-draining soil is essential.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
These plants are among the best at tolerating dry soil and drought conditions.
Beyond this, there is little care required with these plants.
Perhaps because of the powerful scent many species have, they are largely immune to common insect pests.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Warning
Some artemisia species are considered invasive in some parts of the U.S.
If left sitting in damp soil, they will decline and/or be short-lived.
Except in prolonged drought, they rarely need supplemental watering.
Joshua McCullough / Getty Images
The varieties offered at local garden centers will generally be appropriate for your climate.
Some species can be prone to fungal rust and powdery mildew in humid conditions.
Fertilizer
Artemisias do not like overly rich soil.
Fanliso / Getty Images
No supplemental fertilizer should be necessary, especially if you are regularly addingorganic matterto your beds.
Too much nitrogen tends to cause stems to become leggy and ungainly.
Non-woody artemisias can get floppy, especially after flowering.
Silver King artemisia picture.David Beaulieu
Shear them in midsummer to prevent them from splitting open down the middle.
But because simple root division is so easy, seed propagation isn’t practiced very often.
Plant the seeds about 1/2 inch deep and keep them moist in a sunny location until they sprout.
Seedlings will take 90 to 120 days to mature into flowering plants.
Standard peat-based potting mixes retain too much water and sometimes can encourage root rot with this plant.
In cold regions, potted artemisia plants should be moved into a protected location for the winter.
A cold frame or an unheated porch or garage makes a good sheltered location for the winter.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
If the conditions are ideal, artemisias are quite resilient.
Because of their strong scent, insects tend to avoid artemisias.
Hot, humid weather exacerbates these problems.
Growing them in an open area with good airflow will help mitigate the problems.
The biggest offender isA.
Artemisia planted in dense, wet soils can readily develop root rot.
Discard affected plants and choose another location or amend with plenty of sand before replanting.
Artemisiais often considered an herb, either culinary or medicinal.
Like most plants that expand through spreading rhizomes, artemisias can live for a very long time.
To prevent this, dig up, divide, and replant the divisions every few years.
Handled properly, a single artemisia plant can live for many decades.
Or watch what they do to liven purple coneflowers (Echinacea).
Small plants are great for containers, while taller and bushier varieties can be used as a summer hedge.
Artemisia vulgarisand a few other species are notoriously hard to eradicate if they are growing in ideal conditions.
Be prepared to deal with stubborn residual volunteers for quite a long time.
Artemisia.North Carolina State Extension.
