Mugwort Oil Recipe (using fresh plant material!)

I overlooked Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) for many years as an herbalist. It’s not super common in herbal texts and neither is it a very showy plant. But herbs have an uncanny ability to come to you exactly when you need them. This was Mugwort for me. I started growing her in my garden this past summer and soon realized that this seemingly humble plant is actually quite magnificent.

My Mugwort grew to be about 5 feet tall with a firm stalk and stunning silver-green leaves that shimmer in the wind. She was constantly covered with pollinators and stayed lush during our lengthy drought when other plants withered. Though tiny, her dainty white flowers hold both a floral and woodsy aroma unlike anything I’ve smelt, yet also smelling like my childhood (or past lives?) at the same time. A plant I had erroneously perceived to be lack-luster is now a star in my herbal apothecary! Mugwort is lovely to use in teas, smoke blends, and incense, but I’m currently really enjoying her as an infused oil. Thus, this post.

Below you will find a brief Materia Medica on Mugwort and a simple, foolproof recipe for an infused oil using fresh Mugwort aerial parts.

Common Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris (-anna-Creative Commons)

Mugwort Materia Medica

Name: Common Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris 
​(etymology: Artemisia from Ancient Greek "ἀρτεμισία" or "Artemis the goddess"; vulgaris from Latin "common")
Family: Asteraceae 
Parts Used: aerial parts (leaves before flower for digestive support & antiparasitic activity; leafs, flowers, & seed heads after flowering for dreamwork); roots (fall harvest)
Actions: antibacterial, antispasmodic, bitter, carminative, diaphoretic emmenagogue, mild nervine, vermifuge
Uses: Mugwort should be considered for those who:
- Deal with physical imbalances rooted in coldness, stuck-ness, stagnation
- Want to explore shadow and/or dream work.
Physically, Mugwort is a heater and a mover. Its warming nature is especially beneficial in bringing blood flow and nourishment to the lower organs: kidneys, gallbladder, liver, stomach, and reproductive organs. Moxabustion, the practice of applying a special preparation of dried Mugwort to certain meridian points, is commonly used in TCM used to dispel cold, strengthen Yang-Qi, remove stasis of the blood, and dissipate stagnation (PSA: if you deal with chronic constipation, try Moxa on your Stomach 36 acupressure point with a trained professional or someone you trust!)

Mugwort, a close sister to Wormwood, carries a few properties that make it excellent for expelling pathogens (vermifuge) and revving up digestion (digestive stimulant). As a bitter, it's filled with compounds used traditionally to not only increases stomach acid and bile secretion, but also expel parasites and return homeostasis to the microbiome. Its astringent and drying nature also helps combat diarrhea often associated food poisoning or parasitic infections. As a antibacterial carminative, it also soothes gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort.

Mugwort might have the most notoriety for its use in the dream world, where its been used for ages to help individuals connect with the subconscious/preconscious layers of themselves that often come out when we sleep. Mugwort has been used to induce lucid dreams, improve memory of dreams, or help one gain meaningful insight into dreams so they can integrate them into their waking life. Smoking a blend of Mugwort, taking the flower essence, drinking a weak tea, or simply putting a fresh sprig under your pillow can all induce these very real actions. 

Form:  Tincture: 5-20 drops 2-3x/day or before meals; Infusion:  Steep 1 tsp. dried herb in one cup boiling water, drink 2-3 times/day; Smoke blend: mix with lung tonics like Mullein and Marshmallow & smoke before bed to calm and prep for stellar dream work or to sooth tight, boggy lungs; Flower Essence: 1 df before bed for calming dream work

Contraindications/Cautions: Not recommended for pregnant (abortifacient qualities due to stimulating/moving nature) or nursing women or those with known allergies to Aster family plants ​

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Mugwort Oil
​(using fresh plant material*)

• Find a healthy, abundant patch of Common Mugwort in an unsprayed area. Always ask the plant for permission to harvest and offer words of gratitude for the opportunity to make medicine. Harvest leaf, flexible part of stem, and very new flowers - enough to fill ¾ of your jar of choice when finely chopped. For a quart, this should come to about 5 handfuls (super scientific, I know). 

• Bring plant material inside, dust off any remnants of dirt or other plant parts but do not wash (you want your plant material to be totally dry or else your oil will spoil). 
• Finely chop fresh use scissors or knife - do not blend in a blender or food processor (this exposes too much moisture which might spoil your oil)
• Fill your jar ¾ of the way full with finely chopped herb, leaving ~2 inches of space at the top. Don’t stuff the jar, keep it fluffy and loosely pack so the oil can to all the pieces - a densely packed jar will cause spoilage
• Add 1 tbsp of 100 proof vodka per quart of chopped herb. Organic cane alcohol is preferred here. This makes some of the constituents more bioavailable in the oil and also helps to preserve your infusion. (i.e: for 1 pint, add 1 ½ tsp)
• Mix alcohol into fresh plant material using a clean wooden chopstick 
• Pour extra virgin olive or avocado oil into the jar, covering the plant completely. Bring the oil to the very top of the jar. Cap with a lid. Shake well so as to agitate it and fully integrate the oil and alcohol through all the plant material. It’s a good idea to say a prayer/intention for use as you shake (something like, “Please show me how to make my body a better vessel” It works :) )
• Place this jar on a plate and in a paper bag near a sunny window. You want to store this in a place you will see frequently so you can shake it often (just make sure it’s away from direct sunlight and heat). Oil will seep out, so the plate will help protect wherever you place your jar. 
• Label it (Plant name, ingredients, date of creation, date needed to decant, moon phase, etc)
• During the first 1-5 days, be sure to check your maceration frequently. Open it up and look at it to make sure everything is all covered (otherwise it could mold), using a chopstick to poke around. Top it off with oil as needed.
• Decant it after 1 moon cycle. Use funnel and large muslin cloth* to strain into a new jar. Let it passively drip.Leave and come back but DO NOT SQUEEZE. There is still water in the plant, so squeezing can cause spoilage and will decrease the shelf-life of your oil. (You can always squeeze and use the remainder and use it in a salad dressing so as to not waste anything)​

*This recipe is added from the oil infusion Guru Kami Mcbride. I encourage you to take one of her classes if you are interested in diving deeper into the wonderful world of infused oils!

​**Wash your oily muslin ALONE with hot soapy water and leave it out to dry. Do not mix with other laundry or you will ruin your other clothes. You can use these muslins a few times then compost them as they become very difficult to clean. It’s also a good idea to give them their own drawer and bin.