Healing Herbs: Mugwort, the Mother of All Herbs
September 7, 2026
In this new column, Odile Oort, energy therapist and herbalist, shares a wild herb that’s in season and at its strongest at that moment.
It’s early September, and summer still feels close, yet autumn is already in the air. Many herbs have already passed their peak by now, but nature provides healing plants all year round, even if there are more of them in spring and summer than in autumn or winter.
Mugwort, the mother of all herbs
Mugwort is a lovely example: a plant you can harvest for tea over a long stretch, and one you can also turn into a smudge stick. It’s often called the mother of all herbs and is remarkably versatile — antispasmodic, calming, pain-relieving and disinfectant. Today the spotlight is on its cleansing properties, and the timing couldn’t be better: this is just about the last moment to make your own smudge stick.
A long cleansing tradition
Mugwort has been used for cleansing for centuries. Pollen from the plant has been found in ancient French caves, where it was burned as incense. Both the caves and mugwort itself were dedicated to Mother Holle. Before bread was baked, the oven and its surroundings were swept clean with mugwort — the oven was seen at the time as a symbol of the womb, and was likewise dedicated to Mother Holle.
Mugwort is still used today for smudging and cleansing spaces. I find that, used this way, it works more deeply and subtly than sage, for instance.
What to harvest, and when
Harvest leaves and shoot tips from July to September for tea. For a smudge stick, wait until late August or early September and use mainly the flowering spikes with a little leaf attached — there’s just enough time left for that now.
Making your own smudge stick
Gather a number of flowering spikes and bind them tightly together, crosswise, into a firm stick. Hang it in a dark, warm place and let it dry for at least three months.
Light the top of the stick to use it: the smoke is what you smudge with, for instance to cleanse your home or your aura. Once you’re done, press the stick out firmly on a small dish or shell, so you can keep using it for a long time.
Please note: don’t use mugwort during pregnancy or with young children.
