Artemisia, Variegated Mugwort, Wormwood 'Oriental Limelight'

Artemisiavulgaris

Family
Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Artemisia (ar-te-MIZ-ee-uh)
Species
vulgaris (vul-GAIR-iss)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage
Grown for foliage
Herbaceous
Good Fall Color
Height
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Spacing
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Danger
Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction
Pollen may cause allergic reaction
Bloom Color
Inconspicuous/none
Bloom Time
Late Summer/Early Fall
Mid Fall
Other Details
Category
Herbs
Perennials
Water Requirements
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Foliage Color
Chartreuse/Yellow
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information
Patented
Propagation Methods
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)
From herbaceous stem cuttings
Seed Collecting
N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Decatur, Alabama

College, Alaska

Glendale, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona(2 reports)

Cabot, Arkansas

Lamar, Arkansas

Calistoga, California

Castro Valley, California

Clayton, California

Fremont, California

Lemoore, California

Lemoore Station, California

Turlock, California

Abington, Connecticut

Centerbrook, Connecticut

Old Greenwich, Connecticut

Brooksville, Florida

Fountain, Florida

Melbourne, Florida

Buckhead, Georgia

Midland, Georgia

Thomasville, Georgia

Evanston, Illinois

Hanover Park, Illinois

Mount Prospect, Illinois

Plainfield, Illinois

Decatur, Indiana

Inwood, Iowa

Sioux Center, Iowa

Olathe, Kansas

Barbourville, Kentucky

Ewing, Kentucky

Bossier City, Louisiana

Monroe, Louisiana

Soldier Pond, Maine

Frederick, Maryland

Gloucester, Massachusetts

Roslindale, Massachusetts

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Mattawan, Michigan

Muskegon, Michigan

Maben, Mississippi

Madison, Mississippi

Mathiston, Mississippi

Maryville, Missouri

Springfield, Missouri

Carson City, Nevada

Whitefield, New Hampshire

Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey

Marcellus, New York

Raleigh, North Carolina

Belfield, North Dakota

Cincinnati, Ohio

Enid, Oklahoma

Jay, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma(2 reports)

Yukon, Oklahoma

Grants Pass, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Norristown, Pennsylvania

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

Greenville, South Carolina

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Collierville, Tennessee

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Toone, Tennessee

Austin, Texas

Beaumont, Texas

Colmesneil, Texas

Conroe, Texas

Desoto, Texas

Gilmer, Texas

Houston, Texas

Jacksonville, Texas

Missouri City, Texas

Princeton, Texas

Lexington, Virginia

Elma, Washington

Redmond, Washington

Richland, Washington

Spokane, Washington

Stanwood, Washington

Twisp, Washington

Oconto Falls, Wisconsin

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

13
positives
10
neutrals
15
negatives
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J
Collierville, TN | April 2022 | positive

I love the variegated foliage of this plant. I trimmed it back for a rounded appearance. It thrives nicely in my zone 7b garden.

P
Barnstead, NH | June 2018 | positive

Yet another misunderstood plant that gets a bad rap from wanna be gardeners who don't educate themselves before planting and then blame t...Read More

C
Old Greenwich, CT (Zone 7a) | May 2018 | negative

This Mugwort/ Artemesia Vulgaris is definitley the most aggressive difficult to kill WEED ever!! It is Horrible. I think that I actuall...Read More

N
Marcellus, NY | April 2016 | negative

Artemisia vulgaris is now prohibited in New York State and is showing up as dense infestations in natural areas. Please do not share thi...Read More

J
J
Buckhead, GA | May 2015 | positive

Had this plant in a pot in the front for three years before my husband took it and planted it in the ground on a hillside. Neither of us ...Read More

V
V
| October 2014 | negative

Planted in our garden in Hillsdale Ontario Canada (zone 3-7) in 2002 it immediately became invasive and was moved to an area where there ...Read More

L
Twisp, WA | April 2014 | negative

I'm afraid I'm going to have to weigh in on the negative side with this one. I got it as a 4" pot and it was listed on the tag as a low g...Read More

C
ROSLINDALE, MA | February 2014 | negative

This is a variegated form of the common perennial weed, mugwort. It spreads underground and by seed just as aggressively as the species, ...Read More

S
Spokane, WA | July 2013 | positive

Zone 5-6. I planted this in 2007 in it's own little 2'x4' area that is surrounded by red lava rock. It takes zero maintenance and is thri...Read More

A
A
Sierra Vista, AZ (Zone 8a) | April 2013 | negative

I had this planted in my garden in Arizona and currently now in Georgia. It was quite beautiful in Arizona and did very well. The plant d...Read More

C
Sioux Falls, SD | May 2011 | neutral

Result after 4 years: Incredibly invasive and difficult to remove from the landscape. Beautiful as a potted plant. Don't plant this un...Read More

G
(Zone 5a) | March 2011 | neutral

A fair enough looking plant, but a bit too invasive for me, so I removed it.

J
Oklahoma City, OK | March 2011 | negative

While I haven't had any problem containing this plant in my OKC clay soil that is slow to warm in the spring, a friend I gave some to has...Read More

Z
Pittsburgh, PA | March 2011 | negative

Don't let this plants beauty fool you, it is extremely invasive! I planted this four years ago in the wrong spot. I was a novice garden...Read More

D
Springfield, MO | December 2010 | neutral

There was a bed made of rail road ties next to my house, along side the deck, rocky and full of clay. Nothing was growing there but chick...Read More

D
Decatur, IN | August 2010 | positive

I have now had this plant for over 2 years. It is planted in full sun in rather good soil and in with many other herbs. I have had no pro...Read More

O
Lamar, AR (Zone 7a) | May 2010 | positive

Love this plant. In my clay soil, it tries to spread, but I simply pull up the runners in early spring. I don't have any problems with ...Read More

T
Glendale, AZ | March 2010 | positive

This is one of my very favorite plants. I love plants that go their own way and do their own thing. I don't have a problem with it wander...Read More

B
Cedarhome, WA (Zone 8b) | November 2009 | neutral

This plant struggled for 3 years, then finally caught on. Having seen its aggressiveness at my sister's place (much more alkaline soil),...Read More

C
C
Gustine, TX (Zone 8a) | September 2009 | positive

I have kept this in a large pot (on concrete) for about 10yrs. I love it, but would never plant it in the ground! It even creeps out the...Read More

M
Northeast region, NJ (Zone 6b) | September 2009 | neutral

In New Jersey, Zone 6b....I planted artemisia as part of a container planting in full sun. It did not take over...as a matter of fact it...Read More

Z
Monroe, LA (Zone 8a) | June 2009 | negative

While the silvery artemisias struggle with the heat in my area, this plant is extremely invasive! After two years I still can't get rid ...Read More

L
L
Oconto Falls, WI | June 2007 | negative

We just moved into a new house and this plant is consuming, what I think, was once a nice little planting near the end of the driveway. I...Read More

K
Turlock, CA (Zone 9a) | June 2006 | neutral

I really love variegated plants and had to have this one! But after reading all the negative posts, I, like another said, am going to kee...Read More

A
Missouri City, TX (Zone 9a) | May 2006 | positive

Yes I guess you could call it invasive, but it's easy to pull up. It does grow fast so I often cut it back. The color is just too wonderf...Read More

E
Princeton, TX (Zone 8a) | April 2006 | negative

NEGATIVE!! NEGATIVE!! NEGATIVE!! I planted one of these on each side of my walkway 2 years ago, It was coming up last year in my flowe...Read More

S
Kalispell, MT (Zone 4b) | February 2006 | negative

I loved the chartreuse color and adaptability to my zone. I planted it in the fall and by early spring it was everywhere in my bed popin...Read More

S
Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) | March 2005 | neutral

Egads. This stuff grew like crazy over the winter. A friend of mine sent me an email when I told her it was really going wild and she s...Read More

H
H
Castro Valley, CA (Zone 9a) | October 2004 | neutral

I just bought mine, so attractive, guess I will keep it in a pot away from other plants on CEMENT, or take it back to Nursery!!!

H
Cincinnati, OH (Zone 6b) | July 2004 | neutral

We bought this a year ago last Spring in a 3" pot.

After reading all the above posts I now know why the nuserywoman said <...Read More

P
Deal, NJ (Zone 7a) | July 2004 | negative

I don't know how different limelight is from other artemisias of this group but they are awful...... terribly invasive..... not worth i...Read More

J
J
Belfield, ND (Zone 4a) | July 2004 | negative

I bought one last year because it is a very attractive plant. But this spring it came back with a vengence and it's everywhere. I dug o...Read More

M
| May 2004 | positive

I bought a home whose yard consisted of nothing but mulch, mulch, mulch - up to six inches deep in some parts. I was so taken by this pl...Read More

K
K
Mount Prospect, IL (Zone 5a) | March 2004 | negative

This "may be" invasive plant is a real thug! I planted this in a somewhat "unhospitable" place, thinking it would reduce it's "thugness"...Read More

L
Hanover Park, IL (Zone 5a) | March 2004 | neutral

A pretty plant, but I cut it (one!) way back last winter and now in early spring it has about 20 starts! Fortunately it's in a safe loca...Read More

K
K
Oostburg, WI (Zone 5b) | December 2003 | positive

Planted it last spring and was about 2 feet tall by winter. Stayed in a nice compact shape. Was told by the GH owner that most grow it he...Read More

W
(Zone 8a) | September 2002 | positive

Mugwort common and Variegated Mugwort are grown in our Herb Field for harvesting and drying.The dried mugwort is used in tobacco mixes an...Read More

A
Yorkville, IL (Zone 5b) | September 2002 | positive

If you think you'd like to ADD this to your Garden, better be prepared for it to take over.. I bought (1) Plant in 2001 and split it in...Read More

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