About Artemisia kruhsiana subsp. alaskana (Rydb.) D.F.Murray & Elven
Artemisia kruhsiana subsp. alaskana (Rydb.) D.F.Murray & Elven is a perennial shrub that grows up to 2 feet tall. Its leaves are blunt-tipped, twice ternate, and white-silvery; hairs cover both its leaves and stem. It produces yellow blooms from June through August. Its fruit is a cypsela, though it is commonly mistaken for an achene. This shrub emits a strong odor and has a bitter taste, caused by the terpenoids and sesquiterpene lactones present in its cells. It requires full sun or partial shade, and grows in dry soil. Larvae of pollinating butterflies use Artemisia kruhsiana. It is an important flavoring ingredient in some French cuisines. It has a range of medical purposes: it can be used as a cough medicine, to lower fever, to cure colic and headache, and to treat intestinal parasites and malaria. It is classified as an anthelmintic, febrifuge, and stomachic. It is used in various preparations for cosmetics and external use, including enemas, infusions, lotions, and poultices. It is also used in breweries; oil from the plant can be used to repel fleas and moths from clothing. Some wormwoods including this taxon are used by native Alaskans, including the Tanainas, who place them on top of rocks in steam baths.
