What is Sweet Annie?

Sweet Annie, also known as Sweet Wormwood, is a bushy herb that originated in Asia and Europe and now grows throughout the world. It is not commonly seen in gardens and is often considered a weed, as it is very hardy and easily spreads. Sweet Annie is not a very attractive plant, but it is sometimes grown for its pleasant, heady scent. It has also been used for a number of medicinal applications since ancient times. Sweet Annie has green, fern-like leaves and small yellow flowers. It has a single stem, and plants average 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) in height. Sweet Annie is sometimes dried for use in floral arrangements, in which it makes a good filler plant, or in wreaths. Sweet Annie holds its green color and pleasant fragrance well when dried and makes a nice addition to sachets. It is sometimes dyed to provide a colorful accent to dried floral arrangements. Some people choose to grow Sweet Annie in their gardens, and it is quite easy to grow from seed if it is planted after any chance ...  more

A rather nondescript herb, sweet annie has a variety of alternate names, including qing hao and sweet wormwood. The herb originated in Europe and Asia before eventually making its way to the United States. Unlike most plants, the above-ground components of sweet annie, such as the stems and leaves, are used in herbal remedies.  more