Southernwood

[jaimie]

I see from Crazy Chickie's link to the botanical website that
"the keen, aromatic scent might prevent all feeling of drowsiness."
That sounds like exactly what I need !!!

[zazen999]

i just chopped ours back last night. If you chop it back regularly it comes back nice and bushy each time.

[Prairiewd]

I love southernwood and have successfully taken cuttings from mine. Proper southernwood should have a camphor smell and it is artemesia abrotanum. The leaves can be dried and mixed with other herbs such as lavender, lemon thyme, etc. to make a shake and vac powder which is useful to keep carpets pest free and smelling fresh.

[Polly Fouracre]

A few leaves infused in hot water and cooled a bit can be used as a final rinse for children's hair to keep lice away.

[Leif]

I note that someone said it scares away insects. Does it scare away all insects, including beneficial ones e.g. bees and hover flies? And far away from the plant does the effect work? I planted a herb bed to attract insects such as bees.

[Hobbit]

Scares away ants, which in turn protect the aphid, which generates a type of fluid that the ants love. The ants protect these aphids and will even go as far as to carry the aphid from plant to plant, just to increase the ants food supply.
Plant these near plants you want to protect and ants hate them, whilst the not so humble bee will be drawn to the now aphid free flowering plant.