Growing Guide
 
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Mugwort, White

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Artemisia lactiflora
Asteraceae Family

One of the few Artemisias that prefer moist soil, this showy perennial has toothed, deep-green leaves with silver undersides and erect sprays of tiny creamy-white blooms. Very useful as a cut or dried flower.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade
Prefers full sun.

Soil conditions:

  • requires well-drained soil
  • tolerates damp soil
Prefers moist but well-drained soils.

Hardiness zones:

  • 5 to 8
May be marginally hardy in Zone 4.
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 3 to 6 feet

Spread: 2 to 4 feet

Bloom time:

  • late summer
  • early fall

Flower color: white

Creamy white.

Foliage color: dark green

Dark green with silver undersides.

Foliage texture: medium

Shape: upright

Shape in flower:

  • flower stalks with upright spikes
  • flower stalks with sprays of flowers

Sprays of tiny blooms borne on erect, branching flower stems.

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • non-aggressive
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - Native to China
Special uses:
  • cut flowers - Put cut blooms in water immediately. Before arranging, dip cut stems in boiling water.
  • dried flowers - Hang blooms in dry, well-ventilated area.
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by division or separation - Divide every 3 to 5 years in spring or fall.

Maintenance and care:
Cut back plants and shape in June to prevent legginess.

May require staking, especially in rich, moist soils and full sun.

Cut back to basal foliage in fall after blooming.

Divide every 4 to 5 years when center becomes thin.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Diseases:
White rust
Downy mildew
Powdery mildew
Fungal leaf and stem rot
Varieties
'Guizhou' has purplish stems and young leaves.