Wormwood

Artemisia absinthium

Historical tradition – not medical advice, and no health or healing claims. more

Historical botanical drawing: Wormwood — Wormwood

Tradition (Hildegard's writings)

In Hildegard's tradition, wormwood was associated with digestion and oral care.

Ingredients

The fresh herb with leaves and stems is used for pressing the juice, as is the dried herb.

Note

Wormwood is markedly bitter, and the sources note that sweetening does not mask the taste. Where there is a hypersensitivity to wormwood, the preparations should not be used.

Botanical background

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) belongs to the daisy family (Asteraceae). Its close relative mugwort grows 50 to 150 centimetres tall and can be told apart by its leaves, green above and white-felted only on the underside. The genus name derives from Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. In the Physica wormwood holds chapter CAP. 1-109, where Hildegard describes it as very warm and very strong. For the preparations handed down, the fresh herb is pounded to a juice in a mortar: the juice goes into wine with honey, is set in olive oil in the sun, or is worked into an ointment with animal fat; the pronounced bitter compounds are the hallmark of its constituents.

Sources & references

Hildegard von Bingen: Heilsame Schöpfung. Die natürliche Wirkkraft der Dinge (Physica). Hrsg. von der Abtei St. Hildegard, Eibingen. Beuroner Kunstverlag 2012 (4. Auflage 2024). CAP. 1-109.
Strehlow, Wighard: Die Hildegard-Naturapotheke. Heilmittel und Rezepte von A bis Z. Knaur Verlag 2014.
Strehlow, Wighard: Der Hildegard-Kompass. Die wichtigsten Heilmittel und Anwendungen. Knaur Verlag 2014.
Heepen, Günther H.: Das Heilwissen der Hildegard von Bingen. Gräfe und Unzer Verlag 2015.

The text of this entry is an independent summary in our own words, based on the works listed – not a verbatim reproduction. The page and chapter references document where the content comes from. A superscript number on a section heading points to the work that section follows. All rights to the original works remain with their authors and publishers.

More preparations using Wormwood

Wormwood and Vervain Blend (“Toothache Herbs”) Wormwood Elixir Wormwood Oil Wormwood Salve

Historical tradition. The above describes how this preparation was recorded and used in the tradition of Hildegard of Bingen. This is cultural-historical information, not medical advice and not a health or healing claim, and it is no substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. If you have health complaints, please consult your doctor or pharmacy.

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