Refugio Gardens Botanicals
California Mugwort Essential Oil – Sustainably Wild Grown, Artisan-Distilled, Pure & Genuine (Artemisia douglasiana)
California Mugwort Essential Oil – Sustainably Wild Grown, Artisan-Distilled, Pure & Genuine (Artemisia douglasiana)
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California Mugwort Essential Oil
Artemisia douglasiana — “Dream Herb of the Chaparral”
Experience the Visionary Spirit of California
California Mugwort Essential Oil (Artemisia douglasiana) is a silvery-green aromatic herb long honored for its cleansing, cooling, and visionary qualities. Sustainably wildharvested and artisan-distilled in small batches at Refugio Gardens, it is one of the rarest genuine Mugwort oils available, fully GC–MS verified for purity and authenticity.
Aroma & Character
- Fragrance: Strongly aromatic, herbal, pungent-sweet with a cooling, slightly bitter edge
- Note: Middle, with lingering herbal bitterness
- Energetics: Clarifying, introspective, cooling with gentle stimulation
Discovery & Innovation
In 1998, Dr. Amy Inez Hazard performed the first known artisan steam-distillation of Artemisia douglasiana, capturing its essential oil for the very first time. Though Mugwort had been revered in Native Californian and Chinese traditions for centuries, the essential oil itself had never before been distilled or studied. Today, Refugio Gardens remains the only commercial source for pure, GC–MS verified California Mugwort essential oil.
Uses & Benefits
- Women’s health: traditionally used to regulate menses, ease cramps, and support healthy cycles
- Digestive & liver support: historically applied to ease indigestion, cleanse blood, and tonify the liver
- Muscle & joint comfort: applied topically (diluted) for spasms, soreness, and overexertion
- Skin soothing: relieves poison oak rash and insect bites (including fire ants); calms itching welts and may help hives
- Mind, spirit & dreaming: used in dream pillows, meditation, lucid dreaming, and visionary practices
Chemistry & Research
GC–MS profiles of Artemisia douglasiana show a terpene-rich composition including artemisia ketone, camphor, piperitone, 1,8-cineole, and chrysanthenone. Research highlights compounds such as dehydroleucodine and vulgarone B for antifungal, antiulcer, and anti-inflammatory properties. These constituents help explain traditional topical use for rashes, bites, and anecdotal reports of relief from hives. †
Sustainability & Harvesting
Our Artemisia douglasiana is wild grown on private ranch land in Santa Barbara. Plants are harvested selectively, with roots and ample foliage left to ensure healthy regrowth. Steam-distilled at low temperatures in small artisan batches, preserving full aromatic and therapeutic vitality.
Experience Wild California
Diffuse this rare aroma — pungent, herbal, and cooling — to ease tension, inspire dreamwork, and ground the spirit. Its fragrance recalls moonlit chaparral nights when Mugwort leaves shimmer silver in the coastal air.
Want to go deeper? Read the full profile in our blog: Therapeutics of California Mugwort.
California Mugwort FAQ
What is California Mugwort essential oil?
An artisan-distilled oil from Artemisia douglasiana, prized for its clarifying, cooling, and visionary qualities.
How is it traditionally used?
Traditionally for women’s cycles, digestive balance, liver cleansing, sore muscles, rashes, and dreamwork practices.
Does it help with skin irritation?
Yes — many users report rapid relief for poison oak rash, fire ant bites, and itchy welts. Its anti-inflammatory compounds may also ease hives.
Is it sustainably harvested?
Yes. We harvest selectively on private ranch land, leaving roots and abundant foliage for regrowth and ecosystem health.
Disclaimer: For educational and traditional use only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always patch test and dilute before skin use. Consult a qualified practitioner if pregnant, nursing, or under medical care.
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Safety & Cautions
Safety & Cautions
- Please be advised to keep essential oils out of reach of pets and children.
- Please avoid using photosensitive essential oils (Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Orange, Bergamot, Tangerine, Calm Shen Blend and any products made with these oils such as Santa Barbara Goldenbush Lotion) prior to going out in the sun or using a tanning booth as they can react to sunlight and cause something similar to a severe sunburn.
- It is advised to void continuous long term use of the same essential oils.
- Be sure to research the powerful effects of essential oils before use.
- Use diluted essential oils on the skin (Carrier oils like Jojoba are great for this in a 10% essential oil to 90% carrier base oil ratio).
- It is advised to patch test on a small portion of sensitive skin and discontinue if there is irritation or a negative reaction.
- Please know the safety data and specific warnings on an individual oil or Blend before using.
- And please use careful caution using essential oils during pregnancy. Any use should be approved by a medical provider.
- Its important to keep essential oils away from your eyes. If oil does get in your eye, do not flush it out with water. You can dilute the area immediately with vegetable or carrier oil by placing the vegetable oil on a tissue and gently wiping the eye area.
- Also essential oils are flammable so please avoid direct contact with flames such as candles.
- Please do not use essential oils internally unless properly trained and prescribed by a physician. If accidentally swallowed, call the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) immediately and do not induce vomiting.
