Qing-Hao, Sweet Annie, Sweet Wormwood

Sweet Annie (Qing Hao)

Artemisia annua

Botanical Family: Asteraceae (Daisy family)

Botanical Description

Artemisia annua is an aromatic annual growing 1-2 meters tall. The finely divided, fern-like leaves are bright green and intensely fragrant. Small, yellowish flower heads appear in loose panicles in late summer. The entire plant has a sweet, distinctive aroma.

Medicinal Actions

Primary actions: Antimalarial, antipyretic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory.

Traditional uses: In TCM, Qing Hao has been used for over 2,000 years for fevers, particularly those with sweating. The ancient text “Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergency Treatments” (340 CE) describes its preparation.

Nobel Prize: In 2015, Tu Youyou received the Nobel Prize for isolating artemisinin from this plant, which has saved millions of lives from malaria. This discovery came from studying traditional Chinese medical texts.

Body Systems Affected

Immune: Potent antimalarial; also researched for other parasites and cancer.

General: Traditional febrifuge (fever reducer).

Safety Information

⚠️ IMPORTANT: While the whole herb has traditional uses, artemisinin-based treatments for malaria require standardized pharmaceutical preparations. Do not attempt to self-treat malaria.

Pregnancy: AVOID – artemisinin compounds may be embryotoxic.

Drug interactions: May interact with many medications. Consult a professional.

Duration: Not for long-term use.

Growing Guide

Hardiness: Annual.

Light: Full sun.

Soil: Well-drained, average soil.

Sowing: Surface sow in spring – seeds need light. Start indoors for earlier establishment.

Spacing: 60-90cm apart. Plants become large.

Harvesting

Part used: Aerial parts (leaves primarily).

When to harvest: Just before flowering when artemisinin content is highest.

Traditional preparation: Fresh juice was squeezed from the plant – heat destroys artemisinin.

Drying & Storage

Dry quickly at low temperature (below 40°C/104°F) to preserve artemisinin. Store in airtight containers away from light for up to 1 year. Note that artemisinin content is variable and declines in storage.