Wormwood in the Garden: A Biblical Herb Thriving in Safed

At the Artists’ Colony Inn in Safed, our garden quietly celebrates plants with character. Among them stands wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), a silvery-green herb that has grown in Israel for centuries. Known from both biblical texts and traditional herbal medicine, it carries a story of resilience, healing, and beauty.

A Plant of Character and Strength

Wormwood doesn’t demand attention. Its soft, grey-green leaves release a clean, slightly bitter scent when touched — one that guests often notice as they pass through our courtyard. It thrives naturally in Galilee soil, asking for almost nothing and offering beauty in return. In our herbal garden in Safed, it’s a symbol of endurance, adapting easily to sun, wind, and stone.

A Link to History and Scripture

In Hebrew, wormwood is called la’anah (לענה), a word that appears several times in the Tanach. There it often represents bitterness or moral challenge, yet in our setting it becomes a reminder that even difficult things have meaning.

For thousands of years, wormwood has been valued as a medicinal herb — once used to aid digestion, improve appetite, and even repel insects. Its distinctive bitterness made it a respected plant in ancient herbal practice, both in Israel and throughout the Mediterranean world.

Old-World Fragrance in the Galilee

When the sun warms the garden, wormwood releases an earthy fragrance — the same aroma that filled monastic gardens and early apothecaries. The plant’s essential oils were once used in natural remedies and to flavor traditional drinks like absinthe. Today, at the Artists’ Colony Inn, it contributes to the sensory calm of our Galilee garden, linking past and present through scent and form.

Why We Keep It

Wormwood remains in our courtyard for good reason:

• Its natural insect-repelling properties make it a helpful companion for other plants.

• Its silvery leaves soften the stone architecture of the inn, adding quiet contrast and balance.

• Its biblical heritage connects us to the land’s deeper story — a living thread of faith, resilience, and healing that runs through the hills of Tzfat. and healing, often in quiet ways.

A Living Lesson

Every plant in our herbal garden has a purpose. Wormwood teaches that not all beauty is sweet, and not all bitterness is bad. Here in the Galilee, this ancient herb continues to grow — steady, humble, and full of meaning — much like the spirit of Safed itself.