Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is one of the more important late-summer pollen allergens in Serbia. It stands in the shadow of ragweed, which flowers just after it and provokes stronger reactions, but mugwort opens the late-summer season and for some allergy sufferers it is the main culprit behind trouble in July and August.

What mugwort is and where it grows

Mugwort is a perennial herb of the daisy family (Asteraceae), one to two meters tall. It is recognized by its pinnately divided leaves, dark green above and silvery-white underneath — the most reliable way to tell it from ragweed, whose leaves are green on both sides. The stem is often reddish, and the flower heads form small yellowish to reddish panicles.

It grows as a ruderal species: along roads and railways, on embankments, building sites, and landfills, by fences, and on neglected plots. In cities it turns up wherever the ground is not maintained.

Its relationship to ragweed

Mugwort and ragweed belong to the same family, and their pollen allergens are markedly cross-reactive. The practical consequence for allergy sufferers in Serbia is an extended season: mugwort from July, ragweed from mid-August, so symptoms can run without a break from early July to the first frosts.

Season and distribution in Serbia

Mugwort flowers from July to September, peaking in late July and early August. Its season overlaps with the end of the grass season, and its own end with the start of the ragweed season.

It is found throughout Serbia, but the load is heaviest in Vojvodina and around the large cities — road and rail verges, the embankments of the Danube, Sava, and Tisa, and neglected plots in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Pančevo, and Zrenjanin are ideal habitat. In the hills and mountains of western and south-western Serbia concentrations are as a rule lower.

The values we show for Serbian cities are modeled with the European CAMS model (via the Open-Meteo service) rather than measured at a local station; national pollen measurement is carried out by the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency.

Symptoms

  • sneezing and a runny nose
  • blocked nose
  • itching and watering eyes
  • itching of the palate and throat
  • worsening asthma in sensitive people
  • in some patients, skin reactions on direct contact with the plant

Cross-reactivity with other pollens

Besides ragweed, mugwort cross-reacts with the pollen of other composites — sunflower, chamomile, and dandelion — and, in some patients, with grass pollen toward the end of the grass season.

Cross-reactions with food

Mugwort is known for several recognized patterns of food cross-reactivity:

  • mugwort-celery-spice syndrome: celeriac, carrot, parsley, fennel, caraway, coriander, pepper
  • mugwort-peach syndrome
  • sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chamomile (including chamomile tea)
  • in some patients, honey containing composite pollen

Symptoms are most often oral allergy syndrome — itching and mild swelling of the lips, tongue, and palate. Unlike the birch-related reactions, some allergens in the daisy family are heat-stable, so cooking does not always remove the reaction; more severe reactions have been recorded with celeriac and spices, so caution is warranted.

Treatment

Medication

  • Second-generation antihistamines for sneezing, itching, and discharge.
  • A nasal corticosteroid spray started in late June, before the season, works better than responding to symptoms already under way.
  • Eye drops for allergic conjunctivitis.
  • People with asthma should review their treatment before the late-summer season begins.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy for mugwort pollen is available and is prescribed by an allergist. In patients who also react to ragweed, the allergist determines which allergen is leading and selects the preparation accordingly.

Practical tips

  • Do not mow or pull mugwort without a mask and gloves; plan garden work for before flowering starts.
  • Clear mugwort from your plot before July — removing a plant that is already in flower releases additional pollen.
  • Avoid running and cycling along roads and embankments in July and August, where mugwort grows thickest.
  • Ventilate in the evening; keep windows closed in the morning and on windy days.
  • If you have confirmed mugwort allergy, watch for celeriac and spice mixes in ready meals and soups.

Note

This is not medical advice. For an assessment of symptoms, treatment, or immunotherapy, consult your doctor or an allergist.