Wormwood is a perennial plant native to Asia and Europe and naturalized in North America. Also known as absinthe wormwood, the plant produces tall spikes of branched, silver-grey foliage.
Although the herb was once commonly used to flavor beverages and liquors, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies this herb as unsafe due to the presence of thujone. Today, wormwood is largely reserved for use in making herbal bitters.