Artemisia absinthium 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.
Foliage
Leaves are alternate, gray-green, 1-4 in. (2.5-10.2 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.
Flowers
Flowering occurs in midsummer, when pale yellow, tubular flowers develop in drooping heads in the axils of the leaves.
Fruit
Seeds are small and easily scattered being dispersed mainly by wind, water, and animals. Each stem can produce up to 50,000 seeds.
Ecological Threat
Artemisia absinthium 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.