How to cultivate the Alpine Pontifical Wormwood
How to cultivate the Alpine Pontifical Wormwood
Pontifical alpine wormwood, also known as Absinth of the Valais or Artemisia del Vallese (Artemisia vallesiaca All.) Is a perennial herbaceous species belonging to the Asteraceae family not to be confused with the Artemisia pontic.
The Walloon Artemisia is a perennial plant with very decorative foliage, silvery, finely carved and perfumed with a dense branching. The flowers are yellowish and appear in summer.
It is a species that finds its natural habitat in the Valle d’Aosta and Piedmont and in the upper valley of the Rhone. In this sheet we will see how to cultivate the Alpine Pontifical Wormwood and above all the choice of a habitat very similar to the natural one.
The Walloon Artemisia, is a species that even if cultivated, is present, even if not frequent, to the spontaneous state in the alpine areas.
For its cultivation it is important to keep in mind that this species needs light, well drained and sunny areas; in the presence of soils that are too clayey or humid it does not grow well and easily meets withering and radical rots.
For the planting of this essence it is necessary to start from seed and therefore it is necessary to find it directly in nature or even on-line through specialized seed companies.
It is a biennial crop and the propagation, starting from seed, can be carried out either by direct sowing in the open field or, better still, in seedbeds with subsequent transplanting at the beginning of the spring period; in this last case it is possible to opt for the cultivation in simple rows with the 50×20 cm one or in double rows of 35-40 x 70-80 cm.
For use for therapeutic purposes, we use the harvested grass that is harvested during the flowering period when the plant has the highest concentration of its active ingredients.
Alpine Pontifical Wormwood has long been used in folk medicine. Already in times past the branches of this essence were collected during whole or shredded blooming, especially for its emagogical properties. The aerial parts are also used for this plant, which is cultivated mainly for use in liquor.