The difference between mugwort and wormwood

1. Difference of blades

The leaves in the middle of the stem of Artemisia annua are elliptical or ovate-triangular, deeply pinnately divided, with lobes that are elliptical to elliptical-lanceolate, usually with three lobes in the middle, and serrated on the edges of the lobes. They are dark green on the upper side with dense small glandular dots, gray-green on the lower side with dense white hairs, and the leaves at the top of the stem are entire or 3-lobed.

The leaves at the lower part of the stem of mugwort are nearly circular or broadly ovate, deeply pinnately divided, with elliptical or obovate-oblong lobes. The leaves in the middle are ovate or triangular-ovate, deeply pinnately divided once or twice and then half-cleft, with ovate or lanceolate lobes.

2. The difference between flowers

Artemisia annua has a capitate inflorescence, which is arranged in a compound raceme. The involucre is ovate and the flowers are tubular and slightly reddish.

The inflorescence of mugwort is oval in shape, the bracts are arranged in a shingle-like manner, the bracts are ovate or narrowly ovate, and the corolla is narrow tubular and purple.