| Feb. 14th, 2006 @ 11:38 pm Wormwood |
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(Artemesia absinthium) Family: Asteraceae (formally Compositae) Common names: Absinthium, absinthe, old woman and green ginger
Cultivation: Identifying characteristics: (directly from book for accuracy in future identification) Part Characteristic Stem Numerous, branched, firm, leafy steams, sometimes woody at the base, 3’ high, and covered in fine silky hairs. Leaves Divided, feathery leaves with pointed tips, covered in fine hairs. They are whitish in color. Flowers Pendulous, greenish-flowers tint and quite small. Fruit Ripe fruits are not crowned by a tuft of hairs as are the majority of the plants in this family. Root It is woody, with a branched crown, with numerous fibers below. Taste Leaves and flowers are extremely bitter. The root tastes more warm and aromatic. Odor Strong and characteristic (dried herb with flowers has a strong and aromatic odor).
~ Part used: Herb, flowers and essential oil (externally) ~ Collection: Gather flowering tops during the late summer as they peek, and dry quickly for best results ~ Growing: ~ Sunlight: Shady ~ Soil: average ~ Water: average ~ Propagation: Root division or seeds sown soon after ripe in the fall ~ Foraging: ~ Where it is native to: wild in Europe, north and south America, Asia and south Africa in temperate regions. ~ Where may it be found: Widely found as a garden plant throughout the world
Properties: ~ Recommended preparations: fluid extracts, infusion, oil, powder, tincture Dried: ~ Part used: Leaves ~ Smell: A strange sweet smell ~ Color: Green-gray with tan flecks of leaves and whitish stems ~ Taste: Extremely bitter ~ Texture: Soft and fluffy with some small steams ~ Preparation: Infusion: ½ oz herb to ½ pt. Boiling water, steeped for 20 minutes ~ Color: Dark reddish brown, could barely see through it ~ Smell: Slightly bitter ~ Taste: Disgustingly bitter ~ Immediate effects: My nose wrinkled, so bitter my first reaction was to spit, it almost made me want to vomit
Active constituents: volatile oil (made of absinthol or thujone, thujol alcohol and iso-valeric acid), glycoside absinthine (narcotic, analgesic, tannin, resin, starch and potash)
Therapeutic action: Anesthetic, anthelmintic, anibilious, antiseptic, aromatic, bitter, cathartic, carminative, cholagogue, febrifuge, hepatic, nervine, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic Uses: what can it be used for? ~ Medicinal: to treat: anorexia, biliouseness, bruises, constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, fevers, flatulence, gout, jaundice, liver troubles, nervous conditions, neuralgia, pin worms, round worms, sprains, swellings ~ Around the house: In sachets to repel pests ~ Cosmetic: none found ~ Culinary: As a liqueur (banned in many countries due to its lethal and addictive nature) ~ Aromatic properties: as an insect repellent, or in sachets or as a tincture or infusion to repel/deter moths and other bugs
Magikal properties: (personal correspondence and further information) ~ Gender influence: Masculine ~ Ruling planet: Mars ~ Elemental influence: Fire ~ Deity influence: Iris, Diana, Artemis ~ Basic magikal powers: Psychic powers, Protection, Love, Calling spirits ~ Specific magikal uses: used in many forms for protection, to develop psychic powers, and burned sometimes in graveyards to help facilitate communication with the dead |
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