By Barbara F. Smith

Our star today is a lesser-known herb found in the fragrance bed of the BBG Herb Display Garden – Southernwood (Artemisia Abrotanum) (see photo above). Also known as "Lad’s Love," "Maiden’s Ruin" or "Southern Wormwood," this strongly aromatic shrubby perennial has semievergreen, threadlike leaves and small, dense heads of yellow florets in summer. The plant grows to 3-4 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. Native to Europe, it has naturalized in the eastern United States in Zones 4-8, particularly in disturbed areas. This herb is easily propagated by seed, root division or semi-hardwood stem cuttings.

Southernwood has been welcomed in gardens for centuries for its ornamental qualities. Its foliage once formed a part of every nosegay, and sprigs along with rosebud stems made a classic bittersweet lovers’ bouquet. Dried stems are useful for herbal wreaths. The leaves are sometimes used in floral waters or potpourris.

Many medicinal uses developed for Southernwood: as a stimulant/tonic, diuretic or antiseptic, and as a worming medicine. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiallergic effects in preclinical studies. Its essential oils have been shown to be effective in warding off insects, intestinal worms and some bacteria. Leaves were added to poultices to treat skin conditions and put in herb pillows to ease insomnia. It was used to treat jaundice and allergic rhinitis. However, note that ordinary tea, tincture, oil, and topical uses are not interchangeable. As one author stated, “the herb should be understood as chemically rich but clinically uneven.”

Southernwood was formerly used in aphrodisiac potions and perfumes. Thanks to its sweet, strong fragrance of camphor and citrus, it was routinely used as a strewing herb in churches or courtrooms, and it may be an ingredient in incense. Southernwood has been used in strengthening or soothing baths, in compress-style applications and in fragrant external blends for scalp, skin, or household purposes. 

Southernwood may be used in dyeing natural fibers a yellow color. 

Southernwood is part of a large genus – Artemisia, which has 300-500 species within it. Many feature the silvery-grey foliage popular with gardeners – think Silver Mound or Powis Castle. Three more famous artemisias genus members are wormwood, used in absinthe, vermouth and traditional medicines; mugwort, used in various herbal remedies and some culinary applications such as flavoring mochi; and tarragon, a fairly common culinary herb.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE BBG HERB KITCHENS?

The Cool Kitchen Crew was very busy, creating time-tested Herbed Raspberry Vinaigrette, BBG Barbeque Sauce, and Piquant Herb Sauce. A new batch of Chive Lemon Finishing Salt was assembled and Mixed Herb Vinegar was decanted into bottles after a period of steeping. The labeling crew was very busy keeping the process moving!

In the Warm Kitchen, the Crew made a batch of customer favorite Harvest Marmalade, which features yellow tomatoes, lemons and cinnamon. With a call back to spring, a batch of Rhubarb Jelly was made, using rhubarb that was frozen earlier in the growing season. 

Our coordinator for the Herb Display Garden, Liz Leonard, offered a “new” (to us) recipe for Independence Tea, noting that it was a recipe from her mother Barbara Brouker – another long-time Herb Associate and Master Gardener. The herbal ingredients include Apple Mint, Bee Balm, Thyme, and Rosemary. We think you’ll enjoy this blend.

It seems appropriate to highlight this product as we are in our country’s 250th anniversary year. In “A Heritage of Herbs” by Berthe P. Reppert, the rise of “Liberty Tea Parties” (after the start of the American Revolution) called on colonists to develop herb tea blends to replace the British Tea they gave up. 

The process of preparing herb tea is simple enough. Steep herb leaves, dried or fresh. Using one teaspoon per cup (1/2 tsp. if using the dried herb), pour fresh water brought to a “rollicking boil” over the herb. Steep as long as necessary for a good flavor, remembering that steeping the herb/water mixture too long could produce a bitter taste. Seeds such as dill, anise or fennel if used, should be bruised to release their fragrance. Add honey or molasses if sweetness is desired. Many, many herbs make delicious tea, whether used singly or in a blend. All the mints will work, plus many you might not think of – thyme, parsley, elder flowers, sage, rosemary, chamomile and more!

Other Herb Associates were assembling Lemon Tea bags, using either three or four varieties of lemon herbs. For example, the “Three Lemons Tea” features dried lemon balm, lemon verbena and lemon mint. The “Four Lemons Tea” has those three, plus lemongrass. A simple recipe suggests using one teaspoon of crushed dried herb per cup of boiling water. Steep for about seven minutes and serve, sweetened with honey. Another recipe calls for adding boiling water to the tea components, steep and strain, then add heated apple juice and a stick of cinnamon and spoon of honey. Your choice of herbs and combinations, of course.

Only a few weeks left until the Harvest Festival, so the time for preparing more products for sale is closing soon. Do plan to attend and visit our booth at the festival. We’d love to share our enthusiasm for all things herbal with you!

The Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Herb Associates began in 1957 and have been making and selling products for the benefit of BBG ever since. At BBG, the Herb Associates oversee a display garden and production garden, both located near the Center House. Members/volunteers meet every Tuesday morning during the late spring through mid-autumn each year, coinciding when the gardens themselves are open to the public. Members plant, weed and tend the gardens, as well as harvest and process the variety of herbs.