Artemisia vulgaris is a perennial herb that can grow from 24-63 in (60-160 cm) high. The stems are branched and purplishbrown. The ascending stems are covered with short hairs. A. vulgaris is rhizomatous, and often produces vegetative colonies of plants. It is native to northeastern Asia and extreme northwestern North America (Alaska).
Foliage
The simple lobed leaves are papery, pubescent, and dark green on the upper surface. Leaves are alternate. The leaves near the base are elliptic and oblong, lobed deeply almost to the midrib. The leaves midstem are elliptic to ovate, 1.2-4 in (3-10 cm) long by 0.6-2.4 in (1.5-6 cm) wide and lobed pinnately or bipinnately. Leaf margins may be serrate.
Flowers
The flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers. At the bud stage flowers are whitish green and become dull yellowish green to purplish green with maturity.
Fruit
The fruits develop and mature from August to October and are obovate or ovate achenes.
Ecological Threat
A. vulgaris grows easily in high-elevation pastures, forest edges, valleys, hillside wasteland, ditches, and roadsides. There are species of Artemisia native to North America.