Absinth Wormwood

Absinth wormwood Artemisia absinthium L. Sunflower family
Key identifying traits Has a strong sage odor and a strong, bitter taste Several erect stems covered with fine gray hair Olive green alternate leaves also have silky hairs Lower leaves dissected 2-3 times into deeply lobed leaflets; upper leaves less lobed, 2-5" long Inconspicuous yellowish flowers arranged in large spike-like panicles Woody lower stems and base Biology and ecology A long-lived perennial growing to 4 feet tall from a fibrous root system Reproduces by seed from spring to autumn forming rosettes first season Seedlings not good competitors in perennial grass; if started in disturbed areas can compete well Frequently found in fence lines, overgrazed pasture and rangeland, disturbed cut banks Flowers July to August Seeds spread by wind, water, animals and hay Control Prevention – Learn to identify plants; know your property; beware of fill dirt, hay and seed from outside your area Biological – None known at this time Cultural – Good perennial grass resists infestation Mechanical –Summer fallow and fall tillage prevent establishment on cultivated land but spring tillage is less effective; cutting reduces seed production Chemical – Several effective at label rates with an adjuvant helping to penetrate hairs to leaf surface; late June to mid August treatments have given better control the following season than spring or fall treatments. The PNW Weed Management Handbook does not list absinth wormwood for specific chemical recommendations	bush
	old stalks in winter
	young plant
*Where found –*Found scattered throughout Stevens County. MSdoc pdf