Artemisia princeps seed | Japanese Mugwort, Yomogi

LATIN NAME: Artemisia princeps COMMON NAME: Japanese Mugwort, Yomogi

Botanical Profile

Japanese mugwort, known as yomogi, is native to Japan, Korea and China, growing as a vigorous, spreading perennial with the characteristic finely divided, silvery-backed foliage of the wider mugwort genus, releasing a distinctive, pleasantly herbal aroma when the leaves are bruised. It spreads readily by rhizome, often forming substantial colonies along roadsides, riverbanks and field margins across its native range.

Science & Conservation

Yomogi holds a dual significance in Japanese culture, valued both as a traditional moxibustion material, alongside its close relative mountain mugwort, and as a distinctive culinary ingredient, and research into its essential oil and pigment chemistry has examined the compounds responsible for both its aromatic and colouring properties, the latter giving the traditional green colour to yomogi mochi and related confections. This combination of medicinal and culinary significance has made it one of the more culturally documented Artemisia species in East Asian ethnobotany.

Landscape & Practical Uses

Yomogi’s young leaves are a beloved traditional ingredient in Japanese cuisine, most famously used to give a distinctive green colour and herbal flavour to yomogi mochi and other traditional sweets, and the plant is also processed into moxa for moxibustion therapy alongside its close relative mountain mugwort. Its readiness to spread and colonise open ground also gives it a modest role in erosion control on disturbed banks and roadsides within its native range.

Growing From Seed

Sow the fine seed onto the surface of a loose, well-drained mix without covering it deeply, keeping the medium consistently moist. Full sun to light shade suits this vigorous, spreading perennial well, and given its naturally colonising habit, consider a contained bed or large container if you want to enjoy its culinary young leaves without it spreading further than intended.

Our Take

Of all the mugworts in our collection, we think this is the one most worth growing for the kitchen – yomogi mochi alone makes it worth the bed space, in our opinion.

Herb Seeds