Artemisia abrotanum

Name: Artemisia abrotanum - Aurone - plant d'Avenir
SKU: pda228
Availability: InStock

A highly fragrant, medicinal and striking grey-green bush.

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Price range: 4,90 € through 12,00 €

SKU: pda228 Category: Bees and Butterflies, Bouquet, Culinary, Distillations, Fragrant, Frost Hardy, Grey Ladies, Medicinal

Artemisia abrotanum is a highly fragrant, resilient, low maintenance perennial for both outdoor or indoor gardens.

The grey-green leaves are similarly narrow and feathery, the camphor-like odor is powerful, happy in the sun, drought and disease tolerant…

The plant grows as an upright, bushy shrub, typically reaching 60–120 cm in height. Its finely divided, feathery leaves are silvery-green and covered in a soft, aromatic coating.

When crushed, the foliage emits a distinctive, pungent scent reminiscent of rosemary or sage.

From mid to late summer, Artemisia abrotanum produces small, inconspicuous yellow flowers, which are primarily of ornamental interest due to the plant’s striking foliage.

The shrub develops a woody base with branching stems, making it drought-tolerant and suitable for dry, sunny gardens.

It spreads slowly and can be maintained in defined shapes with occasional pruning.

👨‍🌾GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾

- The best time to cut Artemisia back is February/March.
- It can easily be propagated by cuttings, or by division of the roots.
- Prefers full sun and well-drained soils, thriving even in poor or sandy conditions.
- Highly drought-tolerant once established, with minimal watering requirements.
- Frost-hardy in temperate climates, though young plants benefit from light protection in severe winters.
- Requires minimal maintenance; pruning in spring or after flowering promotes bushy growth and prevents legginess.
- Suitable for borders, herb gardens, cottage gardens, and container planting.

The Tale & The Botany: Artemisia abrotanum

This one has historically been used as an insect repellent.

The plant itself repels fruit tree moths when growing in an orchard.

The fresh plant can also be rubbed onto the skin to deter insects.

The shoots can be dried for indoor use, they remain effective for 6 – 12 months. This is actually the origin of the French name for the plant, “garderobe”, as the branches were placed between clothes to keep away the mites.

Shoots can be burnt in the fireplace to remove cooking odours from the house.

The leaves have a refreshing lemon-like fragrance and are used in pot-pourri.

NOTA BENE : Artemisia alba subsp camphorata resembles Artemisia abrotanum very much.

Here is a basic guideline to how to distinguish them

Key Differences:

Aroma: A. abrotanum has a sweet, resinous fragrance; A. camphorata has a sharp camphor scent.
Foliage color and texture: A. abrotanum is silvery-green and soft-feathery; A. camphorata is darker green/grey and slightly thicker.
Traditional use: A. abrotanum has a longer history in European folk medicine and ornamental planting; A. camphorata is primarily valued for its camphor scent and insect-repellent properties.
Size and habit: A. camphorata is often more compact, while A. abrotanum tends to grow taller and bushier.