absinth wormwood USDA PLANTS Symbol: ARAB3
U.S. Nativity: Exotic
Habit: Shrub or Subshrub Forbs/Herbs
Artemisia absinthium L.

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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Asterales: Asteraceae
Synonym(s): absinthium
Native Range: Europe (REHD, BAIL);

Absinth wormwood (absinthium, common wormwood) is an herbaceous, perennial plant that can grow up to 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall. It has many branching stems arising from a woody base. Leaves are alternate, gray-green, 1-4 in. (2.5-10 cm) long and give off a strong sage-like scent when crushed. Lower leaves are divided into 2-3 segments and the upper leaves are not divided. Flowering occurs in midsummer, when pale yellow, tubular flowers develop in drooping heads in the axils of the leaves. A single plant can produce 50,000 seeds. Absinth wormwood invades open and disturbed sites such as pastures, rangelands, crop land, stream banks, prairies and old fields. The plant is native to Europe and was first introduced into the United States in the mid-1800s.

Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources

Selected Images from Invasive.orgView All Images at Invasive.org


Foliage;
Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org
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Plant(s);
Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Flower(s);
Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Plant(s);
Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Plant(s);
Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Fruit(s);
Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Diagram or Graphic; Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 3: 525.
USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
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EDDMapS Distribution:
This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org
 


State(s) Where Reported invasive.
Based on state level agency and organization lists of invasive plants from WeedUS database.

U.S. National Parks where reported invasive:
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)



Invasive Listing Sources:
John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998