Mugwort bundle gathered ceremonially on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month (this year on June 19th, 2026) for the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu), traditionally gathered to protect against evil forces as well as insects and other dangerous, venomous creatures. It is a double yang day, associated with Summer Solstice /peak yang qi.

Orders received before June 19th will be gathered on June 19th.

Orders received after June 19th will be gathered at noon on a subsequent day.

About My Plants

I grow seven different kinds of artemisias (mugworts, a member of the daisy family) in my organic gardens:

• artemisia vulgaris

• artemisia princeps

• artemisia ludoviciana/douglasiana hybrid

• artemisia absynthum

• artemisia dracunculus sativa

• artemisia scoparia

• artemisia abrotanum

These bundles will be a combo of the above, with mostly vulgaris and princeps as these are the closest to argyi (which I’m still trying to source, though some above were sold to me as argyi, haha. Not convinced but they might be a hybrid, it does happen a lot). This tradition is adapted to the Zone 8b bioregion of Portland, Oregon which is on the traditional lands of the Chinook-speaking peoples (Multnomah, Clackamas, Cathlamet, Wasco + others), Kalapuya, Molalla, Cowlitz and Watlala (Upper Chinook).

How to Use

This bundle is affixed to doorways (on, above, or beside) for protection. If it falls off, you can burn or compost it, as it has done its job, and you can replace it the following year.

Traditionally, this prayer is chanted while hanging the bundle:

五月五日午, 天师骑艾虎;

手持菖蒲剑, 蛇虫归地府

Wǔ yuè wǔ rì wǔ, tiān shī qí àihǔ;

shǒuchí chāngpú jiàn, shé chóng guī dìfǔ

Translation:

At Noon on the fifth day of the fifth month, The Celestial Master Zhang Daoling Rides his Mugwort (àiyè) Tiger.

In his hand he holds his sweet flag (chāngpú) sword, snakes and worms (and other deadly venomous creatures) return to their place in the earth.

This is a bundle informed by my training in Parting Clouds Daoist Education.

Please do not handle too much if you’re allergic to ragweed or daisy family plants.

Origins

The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节, Duānwǔ Jié) is traditionally linked to the death of Qu Yuan (屈原), a patriotic poet and minister from the State of Chu during the Warring States period (c. 340–278 BCE). However, the festival likely predates him, with shamanic and agricultural roots tied to seasonal protection rituals.

Before the Qu Yuan story became dominant, the 5th lunar month was considered dangerous and inauspicious. The festival developed as a way to repel disease and evil spirits during summer heat and pestilence, honor water deities and dragons, who were believed to control rainfall and rivers, and appease spirits and seek protection with mugwort, calamus, realgar wine, and talismans. Dragon imagery, herb-hanging, and ritual races are part of pre-Confucian, possibly Wu (巫) shamanistic traditions (evidence the Wu were female), especially in southern China.