Mugwort

The feathery first spring leaves of Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) are tender and tangy, a tarragon-like offering for culinarians. They will soon give way to imposing four-foot stalks collected for more esoteric uses. Mugwort leaf is burned as a smudge to ceremonially clear spaces; its Chinese cousin, Artemisia argyi, is used by acupuncturists for moxibustion, the burning of mugwort close to the skin. Drinking the leaf in tea or tincture form is taken by artists and dreamers to awaken creativity and augment dreaming.