Artemisia lactiflora
Most artemisias are grown for silver leaves. Artemisia lactiflora is the exception, with jagged dark green foliage and tall plumes of tiny creamy white flowers that carry a soft scent and look closer to an astilbe than to a wormwood. The plumes open in February and hold into April, standing on strong upright stems that rarely need staking.
White mugwort earns a place at the back of a border, where the pale plumes float above late-season perennials and read well at dusk. It suits cottage gardens, damper borders and white planting schemes, and it is a good partner for phlox, Japanese anemones and ornamental grasses. Florists value the sprays as a filler, fresh or dried.
This is the artemisia that wants moisture. Plant in full sun to light shade in fertile soil that stays damp through summer, with compost dug in on lighter or newly built ground. Heavy soil that lies wet all winter will rot the crown, so drainage still matters. Unlike its silver relatives, it forms a steady clump rather than running at the root.
Reaches 1 to 1.5 m tall and 0.6 to 1 m across in a season.
Trimming: Cut all stems to the ground in late autumn or winter after flowering. Pinching the growing tips once in early summer produces a bushier plant with more plumes on shorter stems, useful in a windy garden.
Deadheading: Not necessary. The plumes fade from cream to buff and stay presentable for weeks, so most gardeners leave them standing rather than cutting them off.
Fertilising: Apply compost and a balanced slow-release fertiliser in early spring. This species is hungrier than the silver artemisias and produces better plumes for being fed.
Watering: Water regularly. Dry soil in summer causes the lower leaves to brown and the plumes to come up short, so mulch well and keep moisture steady from December onward.
Pest Control: Aphids can build up on the flowering stems. Slugs and snails go for the spring shoots. Neither is usually a lasting problem on an established clump.
Disease Management: Rust and powdery mildew show up on crowded plants in humid weather. Divide every third year, space plants for airflow, and clear fallen foliage in autumn. Artemisia foliage can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves when cutting back.
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