Sweet Annie

Also known as sweet wormwood or sweet mugwort, this annual plant grew to 5' in one year here for us. It has wonderfully fragrant, finely divided, light green leaves and tiny, yellow flowers at the ends of the branches. Highly prized for dried wreaths, because it retains its sweet fragrance for a very long time. Resembles the other Artemisias, except that it is green rather than silver. Reseeds itself vigorously.        

100 seeds

PLANTING

Artemisia annua

Annual

Germination:  7-21 days

Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 70-75ºF

Seed Planting Depth:  Sow on the surface, needs light to germinate

Starting Indoors:  Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Provide 70-75ºF soil temperatures. Transplant after the last frost, 12-18" apart. 

Sowing Outdoors:  After the last frost, sow lightly, thin to 12-18” apart

Growth Habit: Upright, branching

Height and Width: 48-72” x 12-24”

Spacing: 12-18” apart

Light Needs: Full sun 

Soil Needs: poor to average, well-drained soil

Approximate days to flower from seed:  late summer, 100-120 days

Uses:  Flower beds and containers, Cut flowers- fresh or dried, wreath making and crafts, deer resistant

Care: Harvest just as the blooms appear in late summer. Drying foliage- hang small bundles upside down in a dark, well-ventilated space for 2 weeks.