seeds of Artemisia sieversiana, Sagebrush

Artemisia sieversiana, also known as the sagebrush is a plant species of the family Asteraceae. The plant’s synonyms include Artemisia sieversiana Artemisia sieversiana var. sieversiana and Artemisia sieversiana f. sieversiana. Another common name for the plant is sierversian wormwood. Artemisia sieversiana has its origins in China. Artemisia sieversiana is an erect many-branched plant that can grow to a height of between 30 and 100 cm. The plant’s leaves are hairy, ovate and alternate in the arrangement. Each leaf has a length of 1.5 to 15 cm and a width of 2 to 9 cm. Flowers are semi-spherical and have a diameter of 0.6 to 1.2 mm. Seeds are flat and oval. The plant has both male and female flowers. Insects are responsible for most of the pollination. The plant’s leaves are a delicacy among many communities who regard them as ideal vegetables. An additional use of the plant is as a source of herbal remedies that have been in use for centuries. The remedies supposedly have antirheumatic, antithelmic, antiseptic, tonic and deobstruent attributes. Such qualities aid the remedies in not only curing the disease but also in preserving health. A common belief holds that the remedy can cure boils and relieve joint pains. Artemisia sieversiana is a hardy plant that is capable of growing under extreme temperature conditions and in poor soils. The plant gets more aromatic the more the soils around it get poorer. The plant is not only safe from poor soils and high temperatures, but also from most herbivorous animals that may want to consume it. The plant’s strong aroma together with its bitter-tasting leaves wards off animals. Artemisia sieversiana thrives in well-drained soils that are either of neutral pH or slightly basic. The plant can easily cope with hot conditions and, therefore, prefers direct sunlight to growing in the shade.