Mugwort: Your bitter friend · Herbalism with Lori

Mugwort: Your bitter friend

Mugwort: The Plant With Opinions

Mugwort’s real name is Artemisia vulgaris.

It’s named after Artemis, which already tells you this plant has been around long enough to collect names from bored Greeks.

This is not a delicate herb. Mugwort is bitter. Like, aggressively bitter. Historically, people didn’t use it because it tasted good. They used it because it did something, and they were willing to suffer a little for results. That’s how most old herbal knowledge worked.

Romans put mugwort in their shoes to help with sore feet during long walks. Not symbolic. Not ceremonial. Their feet hurt, and this helped. End of story.

For centuries, mugwort showed up in digestive blends because it helps get things moving. Heavy meal? Sluggish gut? Mugwort showed up like, “Fine, I’ll handle it.”

It also became well known for making dreams more vivid. Not because anyone was trying to be mystical. People noticed they slept differently and remembered their dreams more clearly. Humans are observant when something messes with their sleep.

Mugwort was also used externally for tired muscles and overworked bodies. If you spent your day walking, lifting, or just surviving life before modern convenience, mugwort was part of the lineup.

This plant stuck around because it worked. It wasn’t polite about it. It wasn’t gentle. It didn’t try to be everyone’s friend.

Mugwort is the kind of herb that says, “I’ll help, but you’re going to know I was here.”

— Herbalism with Lori

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