Here is an introduction to Artemisia:
Artemisia
Species Name Mugwort
Alias Icetia, Curbed Grass, Fragrant Mugwort, Herb, Artemisia, Ai, Moxibustion Grass, Medicinal Grass, Yellow Grass, Ai Velvet
Latin Scientific Name Artemisia princeps
English name Asiatic wormwood
Family classification Asteraceae, Ai
Morphological features
Perennial herb, underground rhizome with many branches. Plant height 45-120 cm, stem erect, rounded and angled, covered with gray-white soft hairs, stem branched from the middle and above, lower stem leaves withered at the time of flowering; middle leaves irregularly alternate, short-petiolate; leaf blade ovate-elliptic, pinnately parted, basal lobes often into pseudostipules, lobes elliptic to lanceolate, margin coarsely serrate, adaxially dark green, sparsely white soft hairs, abaxially gray-green, grayish tomentose; upper leaves sessile, apical leaves entire. leaves sessile, apical leaves entire, lanceolate or striped-lanceolate flowers, heads, sessile, mostly crowded into racemes, involucres densely covered with white woolly hairs; side flowers are female, 7-12, often rudimentary, corolla weak; central bisexual flowers, 10-12. Flower color is red, yellowish, or pale baby-breasted, depending on the variety. Achenes oblong, hairy or glabrous.
Medicinal properties
Mugwort has a close relationship with the Chinese people's life, every Dragon Boat Festival, people will always be placed in the home in order to "avoid the evil spirits", culms withered after the plant soak fumigation in order to disinfect the itch, mothers more than with the mugwort water to take a bath or fumigation. Mugwort is bitter, pungent, warm, into the spleen, liver, kidney. The Compendium of Materia Medica" records: Ai leaves into medicine, warm, bitter taste, non-toxic, pure Yang nature, through the twelve meridians, with the Yang, the qi and blood, the dampness and cold, stop bleeding and fetal efficacy, but also commonly used in acupuncture. Therefore, it is also known as "medical grass", now Taiwan is popular "herbal bath", most of which is the choice of mugwort. The whole herb has the effect of regulating menstruation and stopping bleeding, stabilizing the fetus and stopping avulsions, dispersing cold and removing dampness. Treatment of menstrual disorders, menstrual pain, abdominal pain, miscarriage, uterine bleeding, root cure for rheumatoid arthritis, head wind, wind in the month. Because it can cut ice to make round, and can be scorched for all diseases, for the most commonly used medicine. Modern experimental research has proved that mugwort has antibacterial and antiviral effects; asthma, cough and expectorant effects; hemostatic and anticoagulant effects; sedative and antiallergic effects; hepatoprotective and choleretic effects. Mugwort can be used as "Mugwort Tea", "Mugwort Soup", "Mugwort Porridge" and other recipes to enhance the body's resistance to disease. Mugwort has a special flavor, this special flavor has the effect of mosquitoes and insects, so the ancients often hang in front of the door of the mugwort, one for the evil spirits, the second for the mosquitoes and insects.
Side effects of long-term use of mugwort leaves: If the volatile oil (flavor component) is used too much, there will be inhibition of the nerves.
Other Uses
Mugwort was already an important plant for people's livelihood in the era of the Book of Songs. It was commonly used in acupuncture and moxibustion. The term "acupuncture" is actually divided into two parts. Needle" is to take the needle to stab the acupuncture point, and "moxibustion" is to take the mugwort after lighting to smoke, hot acupuncture points, acupuncture points by the heat is certainly a stimulus, but not any paper or grass lit can be used as "moxibustion". The odor of the mugwort must have played a role at the same time.
Distribution
It is mainly found in eastern Asia, such as the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Mongolia. It is also found in the northeast, north, east and southwest of China, as well as in Shaanxi and Gansu. It is highly adaptable and commonly grows in roadside wilderness and grasslands. As long as it is sunny and smoothly drained places are growing, but to moist and fertile soil growth is better.