You’ve probably eaten or grown this plant, though you might not have known it by this name. Sacred to and named for Artemis, the goddess of the moon, the hunt and chastity, Artemisia boasts some 180 species.

Artemisia abrotanum, Southernwood or Maiden’s Ruin reputedly has aphrodisiac qualities and served as a courting signal in the Cambridgeshire Fens in England. A young man would put a sprig in his buttonhole, sniffing it as he sauntered past a gaggle of giggling girls. If he gave it to one of them, they were officially courting.

A girl who lacked a lover could put a sprig of Southernwood in her shoe. Women took it to church to fend off drowsiness during lengthy sermons. In court it combatted jail fever, in the garden adders and in the house moths. It was called garde-robe in France, from which came the archaic word for wardrobe, or closet.

Artemisia absinthium, or Wormwood, is a very bitter herb indeed. It is the chief ingredient in absinthe, the emerald liqueur that was the addiction of choice for so many dead poets. It also flavors vermouth, that essential ingredient in a James Bond martini. It grew plentifully along the serpent’s path in the Garden of Eden, hence its bitterness.

Artemisia dracunculus (“Little Dragon”), or Tarragon, is a common culinary herb that tastes of anise. It is essential in French cuisine and is one constituent of fines herbes. Its leaves contain iodine and vitamins A and C. A tea stimulates appetite and aids digestion. Chewing leaves numbs the taste buds before taking bitter medicine.

Artemisia stelleriana, or Dusty Miller, adorns countless gardens with its silvery foliage. Artemisia tridentate is the Sagebrush you’ve seen in so many Westerns.

Artemisia vulgaris, or Mugwort, was used as a flavoring for beer, the preferred beverage in a time when water was undrinkable. It was also used to repel intestinal parasites.

Medieval travelers put it in their shoes, as did weary footmen running alongside their masters’ coaches: “If a Footman takes Mugwort and put it into his Shoes in the Morning, he may go forty Miles before Noon and not be weary.”

Artemisia was put in the pillow of an invalid; if he slept, he would recover. If not, prognosis was poor. Today, herbalists and healers employ it in making dream pillows and performing purification smudging.

Enjoy some Artemisia in one of its many forms. The goddess of the moon will smile upon you.

– A reference librarian, Lisa Karen Miller has been gardening and researching plant lore for many years. Have plant lore to share? Email lisalisa13131313@gmail.com.