Wormwood is strongly bitter and aromatic, a classic cocktail herb for the home bartender.
Artemisia species
artemisia
EDIBLE leaves
Mixologists and bartenders know wormwood (or artemisia) as the classic, primary herb in absinthe. It is a powerful addition to your foraged cocktail cart and bar.
Wormwood is strongly bitter and aromatic, a classic cocktail herb for the home bartender.
Wormwood is an herbaceous perennial that grows to an average height of 4 feet. Its smooth, silvery, and pinnately lobed leaves are 2 to 3 inches long and grow up the stem of the plant. The flowers are clustered yellow heads that grow from the axils of the leaves.
Wormwood loves hot, dry soil in the full sun; it tolerates rocky, craggy outcrops and disturbed areas. New growth in early spring is more aromatic than bitter, especially before flowering.
Gather wormwood leaves in spring before it begins to flower for the most aromatics. The leaves can be used fresh or dried and stored in an airtight container for later use.
Many cocktail recipes feature wormwood. It’s a chief flavor in vermouth, absinthe, and classic cocktails like the Sazerac. The leaves can be infused directly into vodka to make a plant extract for flavoring cocktails or to make into an elixir by sweetening it with honey. Wormwood-infused vodka can be the base for a simple cocktail bitters—good on its own or blended with other flavors including citrus and dark rums. Artemisia can also be used to spice honey meads or homemade walnut nocino liqueur. As an herbal apothecary staple, the bitters of artemisia are a must for settling an upset stomach.
Wormwood is a wild-growing, perennial herb. Gathering its new growth will not affect the plant and can help encourage the growth of new shoots.
