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The Tansy-leaved wormwood (Artemisia tanacetifolia) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is a perennial herb that is found in eastern Hokkaido and on the islands of Rebun and Rishiri in Japan, as well as in the northeastern part of the Korean Peninsula, northern China, Russia, eastern Europe, and northern North America. It grows in dry coastal grasslands, rocky areas, and wind-exposed alpine regions, reaching a height of 30 to 60 cm. Its leaves are twice-pinnately deeply lobed and are characterized by their fine, deeply incised edges. From August to September, it extends a flower stalk and produces small, pale yellow flower heads in racemes that hang in clusters. It is also known by the alternative name "kiku-yomogi" (chrysanthemum mugwort) in Japan. It is designated as "Vulnerable" (VU) on the Ministry of the Environment’s Red List. It is called "裂葉蒿" (lie ye hao) in Chinese.
In Korean, it's called "gu-wa-ssuku" (구와쑥). This is a compound word consisting of "gu-wa" (구와) + "wormwood" (ssuku: 쑥). It was originally called "gu-kwa-ssuk" (구화쑥), but it is believed that as the name was passed down orally, "gu-kwa" (chrysanthemum: 구화) evolved into "gu-wa" (mulberry: 구와).
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