''Artemisia princeps'', also commonly called ''yomogi'', Japanese mugwort, Korean wormwood, Korean mugwort or wormwood in English, is an

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

n plant species in the

sunflower family Asteraceae () is a large family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchidaceae, and which is the larger fam ...

, native to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

and

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

. It is a

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

, very vigorous plant that grows to . This species spreads rapidly by means of underground

stolons In biology, a stolon ( from Latin '' stolō'', genitive ''stolōnis'' – "branch"), also known as a runner, is a horizontal connection between parts of an organism. It may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton. Typically, animal stolons ar ...

and can become invasive. It bears small, buff-colored flowers from July to November which are

hermaphroditic A hermaphrodite () is a sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes. Animal species in which individuals are either male or female are gonochoric, which is the opposite of hermaphroditic. The individuals of many ...

, and pollinated by wind. The leaves are feather shaped, scalloped and light green, with white dense fuzz on the underside.

Distribution and habitat

''Artemisia princeps'' is native to

and

. It has been introduced into

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

and the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. It grows in a variety of habitats including roadsides, slopes, valleys, and riverbanks.

As food

Leaves and young seedlings can be eaten raw or cooked. They can also be used in salads and soups after removal of the bitterness.

Japan

In Japan the herb is used to flavor

glutinous rice Domestication syndrome refers to two sets of phenotypic traits that are common to either domesticated plants or domesticated animals. Domesticated animals tend to be smaller and less aggressive than their wild counterparts; they may also hav ...

dumplings Dumplings are a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough (made from a variety of starchy sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled wi ...

called ''

kusa mochi Kusa mochi (, "herb mochi"), also known as ''yomogi mochi'' (), is a Japanese confection. It is made from mochi and leaves of yomogi (Japanese mugwort). The leaves are kneaded into the mochi, giving it a vivid green color. The greenness depend ...

'' () or (), or rice flour dumplings called ''kusa

dango is a Japanese dumpling made with regular rice flour and glutinous rice flour. They are usually made in round shapes, and three to five pieces are served on a skewer, which is called . The pieces are eaten with sugar, syrup, red bean paste, a ...

'' (). The young leaves can be lightly boiled before being pounded and added to impart a pleasant colour, aroma and flavour. Because of this use, the species is also called (, though it is also called ''mogusa'' in reference to its use in

moxibustion Moxibustion () is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy which consists of burning dried mugwort ('' moxa'') on particular points on the body. It plays an important role in the traditional medical systems of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and ...

). The plant is also actively grown in the state of Hawaii, and used for making the herbal ''mochi'' by residents of Japanese descent. The leaves are occasionally blanched and added to soups or rice in Japanese cuisine. Kusa mochi - 2.jpg, ''

Kusa mochi Kusa mochi (, "herb mochi"), also known as ''yomogi mochi'' (), is a Japanese confection. It is made from mochi and leaves of yomogi (Japanese mugwort). The leaves are kneaded into the mochi, giving it a vivid green color. The greenness depend ...

'' Sanjodori Nakatanido.jpg, ''Kusa mochi'' being made by pounding Dango on plate with stick.jpg, '' Kusa dango'' (rice dumplings) with '' anko'' File:Kusaki Drive In Yomogi Manju.jpg, ''Yomogi

manjū is a traditional Japanese confection, usually a small, dense bun with a sweet filling. They come in many shapes and varieties. The standard manjū has a skin made of flour, and is filled with '' anko'' (sweet azuki bean paste). Some varie ...

Korea

Mugwort, referred to as ''ssuk'' () in Korean, is widely used in

Korean cuisine Korean cuisine is the set of foods and culinary styles which are associated with Korean culture. This cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient Prehistoric Korea, agricultural and nomad ...

as well as in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

(''hanyak''). In spring, which is the harvesting season, the young leaves of mugwort are used to prepare savory dishes such as '' jeon'' (Korean-style pancakes), '' ssuk kimchi'', (), '' ssukguk'' (쑥국, soup made with ''ssuk''). Most commonly, however, fresh mugwort as well as dried leaves ground into powder are a characteristic ingredient in various types of ''

tteok ''Tteok'' () is a general term for Korean rice cakes. They are made with steamed flour of various grains, especially glutinous rice, glutinous and non-glutinous Japonica rice, rice. Steamed flour can also be pounded, shaped, or pan-fried to make ...

'' (rice cakes). Today, ''ssuk'' also adds flavor and color to more contemporary desserts and beverages, e.g. ice cream, breads, cakes, mugwort tea (''

ssukcha ''Ssukcha'' (), also called mugwort tea or wormwood tea, is a traditional Korean tea made from Artemisia princeps, Korean mugwort (called ''ssuk'' () in Korean). It is commonly consumed in both North and South Korea. Preparation The preparat ...

'' 쑥차) and ''ssuk'' latte (). Artemisia princeps.jpg, ''Ssuk'' (Korean mugwort) Aetang 2.jpg, ''Ae tang'' (mugwort dumpling soup) Ssuk-beomuri 2.jpg, ''Ssuk- beomuri'' (mugwort rice cakes) Jeongseon Arirang Train 20150116 08.jpg, ''Ssuk

'' (mugwort rice cakes) Ssukcha.jpg, ''

Ssukcha ''Ssukcha'' (), also called mugwort tea or wormwood tea, is a traditional Korean tea made from Artemisia princeps, Korean mugwort (called ''ssuk'' () in Korean). It is commonly consumed in both North and South Korea. Preparation The preparat ...

'' (mugwort tea)

China

In China it is known as ''huanghua ai'' (, literally yellow-flower mugwort).

As medicine

''Artemisia princeps'' is one of the species of

mugwort Mugwort is a common name for several species of aromatic flowering plants in the genus '' Artemisia.'' In Europe, mugwort most often refers to the species '' Artemisia vulgaris'', or common mugwort. In East Asia the species '' Artemisia argyi'' ...

used in moxibustion, a traditional medical practice of

Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south and southeast. It covers an area of , with a population of 3.5 million, making it the world's List of countries and dependencies by po ...

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

and

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

In culture

In Korea, it is called ''ssuk'' () or ''tarae ssuk'' () which is deeply related to Dangun Sinhwa (), legend of

Gojoseon Gojoseon (; ), contemporary name Joseon (; ), was the first kingdom on the Korea, Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary king Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in th ...

, the first Korean kingdom. To the ancient people in Korea, ''ssuk'' was one of the foods that was believed to have medicinal or religious value. In the foundation myth of Gojoseon in 2333 BCE, eating nothing but 20 cloves of

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...

and a bundle of ''ssuk'' for 100 days let a bear be transformed into a woman.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1076280

princeps ''Princeps'' (plural: ''Principes'') is a Latin word meaning "first in time or order; the first, foremost, chief, the most eminent, distinguished, or noble; the first person". As a title, ''Princeps'' originated in the Roman Republic wherein the ...

Medicinal plants of Asia Korean vegetables Plants described in 1930 Flora of China Flora of Eastern Asia