Artemisia montana var. montana ("Oyomogi")

Japanese name: オオヨモギ （大蓬）
Scientific name: Artemisia montana var. montana

[Overview]
A perennial common in cold regions, often seen in mountain grasslands and by roadsides.
The stem is somewhat woody and grows 1.5–2 m tall.
The leaves are simple and alternate; those in the middle of the stem, including the petiole, are 15–19 cm long and 6–12 cm wide, deeply pinnately cut, with 2–3 pairs of pointed lobes whose margins are either entire or toothed.
The underside of the leaves is densely covered with cottony hairs and is grayish white.
The leaf base runs down the petiole to form a wing.
Large panicles at the stem tips bear many flower heads.
The flower heads are bell-shaped, 3 mm long and 2.5–3 mm wide, and have no ray florets.
It is wind-pollinated.
The fruit is an achene 1.5–2 mm long.

[Uses]
Like yomogi (mugwort), the leaves have a distinctive fragrance, and the spring shoots are used in kusamochi (yomogi mochi, rice cake with herbs), tempura, and ohitashi (boiled greens in broth).
The cottony hairs on the leaves are made into moxa (mogusa) and used for moxibustion.
The leaves, called gaiyo, are used medicinally.

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