Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) Seeds

Wormwood is the silver-leaved herb behind absinthe, and a tough, drought-tolerant perennial that brings soft, feathery grey foliage to a dry, sunny border. Artemisia absinthium forms a bushy mound of finely divided, silvery-green leaves with a strong, bitter aroma, topped in late summer by sprays of tiny yellow flower heads. It is at its best in gravel gardens, herb borders and Mediterranean-style planting, where its pale foliage sets off purple and blue flowers. All parts are toxic if eaten, as the plant contains thujone, and the foliage can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves when handling it and keep it away from children and pets.

Sowing and growing

• Sow indoors February to April, or outdoors April to June
• Depth: sow thinly and barely cover, no deeper than 5mm
• Germination: 7 to 21 days
• Position: full sun in well-drained, even poor, soil; it dislikes winter wet
• Height: up to 90cm, with a spread of 60cm
• Flowers: July to September
• Hardy perennial; cut back in spring to keep it compact

What you receive: a packet of about 800 seeds from Piccolo Seeds, with growing instructions on the back.

Start the fine seed in trays with our propagation supplies, and browse the rest of our herb and flower seeds.