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Sweet Wormwood

Artemisia annua

Found in barnyards, roadsides, disturbed areas, waste areas around wool-combing mills (Nesom 2004d). Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 53%

Light
Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to moist

At a glance

Bloom
July to November

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 7 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 74 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (45)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

8CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Artemisia

  • Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
  • Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
  • Dichomeris juncidellaOrange-Dotted Dichomeris
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
  • Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Vanessa virginiensisAmerican Lady, American Painted Lady
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
1BirdsRecorded eating Artemisia in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Birds that eat Artemisia 1

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Asteraceae

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Sweet Annie; Sweet Sagewort

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources