https://www.google.com/search?...

I'd like to know if these plants are ok to plant around vegetables, flowers, roses ect. I have some idea that they put off a kind of chemical/scent ? that stunts the growth of nearby plants. If I remember right I had trouble growing *something* (can't remember what lol) around one I had in the past. I have also read they are poison, does it do anything to the soil to make veggies unsafe to eat? I think they may help to repel insect pests so that is why I am interested in trying them around my veggies. They don't need a lot of water and take hot sun, so they would be ideal for me.


EDITED to correct the link!

http://voices.yahoo.com/artemi...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A...
http://www.organicgardening.co...
It sounds like Tarragon is the only safe one to put in a edible garden.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T...

oh, wow that is a lot of reading, I will look it over when I have more time. Thank you for the links!

Well I guess I could always plant sage. I am looking for something with a silvery gray or blue foliage. Edible would be a better use of space than the Artemisia.

French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa')

does anyone know if this is this cold hardy?

Yes, it's hardy down to zone 3 and probably 2.

We grow it in our vedg garden. Its a perennial here.

http://www.greatplantpicks.org...

this is a neat plant

Regarding Artemisias ~ regardless of the effect on edibles, the root system will compete with moisture and nutrients for your edible plants. It is best planted in its' own area.

Not sure which Artemisia you were thinking of. Your first link took me to a plethora of keyhole gardening photos.

Perhaps some of the Lambs Ear plants might suit you. They will form a mat of that same silvery color and act as a mulch for your edibles. They are also medicinally useful as an herb.

I would also look at the French tarragon as mentioned above.

I have two of the Artemisia. One sends out incredible runners when in ground. It pops up everywhere. When in a container, plantlets pop out of the drainage holes. The other is still in a container and appears to be better behaved but still grows to be a monster plant. The thread "Two different Artemisia ~ any thoughts on ID?" in Plant ID forum

Not sure Artemisia would be suitable for your edible application... Kristi

Good links NJBob. Thanks for posting them.

well sorry about the link to the keyhole images, must have not copied and pasted what I was aiming for --I'll see if I can fix it.

I planted an Artemisia once in a flower bed that sent up runners and took over. But I think it was just that variety. I had another one that was never invasive at all, in fact it would usually only live for a a couple years before dying and I'd replace it. I know they would need water around the vegetables and would compete that way, but I thought the plus would be that they may help to deter insect pests and I do not like to use pesticide if I can help it. I was trying to think of plants I could inter-plant with the vegetables to keep away bugs, but I thought the silvery foliage would look nice too. I do have some lambs ear, but I don't like it. The tarragon is nice, but I don't know if it would be as silvery colored as I was thinking. I don't know how much water it would need compared to the veggies. That is another thing to think about I guess.

FrillyLily ~ there are so many Artemisia varieties, you may well be able to find one that is better behaved for the application you are wanting.
In my limited experiences I'd grow it in a separate area and spread the leaves in the garden area as a bug repellant. I will be interested to see what you decide and how it works for you. Kristi

pod said:FrillyLily ~ there are so many Artemisia varieties, you may well be able to find one that is better behaved for the application you are wanting.
In my limited experiences I'd grow it in a separate area and spread the leaves in the garden area as a bug repellant. I will be interested to see what you decide and how it works for you. Kristi

great idea, hadn't thought of that!

Thank you for editing the link.

While searching for IDs on the two I have, I recently read there are over 400 Artemisia cultivars.
There are so many beautiful Artemisias it is hard not to want a selection of them.

One last comment as I am still researching the Artemisia varieties while looking for IDs. I read that the one that affects other plants growth habits is A. absinthium, the true Wormwood.

One of my herbal books states:

Wormwood is not a good companion in the garden, however. It contains large amounts of absinthin, a substance toxic to other plants. Absinthin is water-soluble and will wash off the leaves and into the soil. There it will inhibit the growth of nearby plants.

so I understand the other Artemisias don't have that absinthin? I think "they" used to make a drink using that?

Frillylily said:so I understand the other Artemisias don't have that absinthin? I think "they" used to make a drink using that?

I might well be corrected but it sounded like absinthin was the culprit to inhibit growth of other plants and only found in the Artemisia absinthium. Yes, that was wormwood ~ the one that absinthe was made from and it seemed those that consumed it could possibly go a bit mad.

I think it's still made in Europe. I saw something to that effect on one of the 'learning' channels in the not to distant past. It was the drink of choice for artists and writers in central Europe (France) at the turn of the century before last.

Interesting... but I think I'd have to pass on it from what I have read. lol