Plants of Stone Lakes NWR

The whole plant has a pleasant, pungent odor. It has two quite different appearances. In the spring deeply incised leaves are lush green and wooly underneath. As summer advances, the deep-cut leaves give way to small entire leaves. Mugwort is a common native usually found growing near streams and marshes.

Mugwort has also been used by pioneers and others to flavor beer before the introduction of hops. Many species of mugwort exist worldwide and most were used for cooking, flavoring and medicine.Many local tribes thought highly of this plant. It was a symbol of peace and the juice was used to soothe skin irritations. Mugwort is still used today by local tribes in traditional ceremonies.