| TANSY AT A GLANCE (herb) COMMON NAME: Tansy
(tan'zee)
SPECIES: Tanacetum (tan-a-see' tum) vulgare; member daisy family.
DESCRIPTION: Hardy perennial with strong-scented foliage. Stout, erect plant with
deeply cut, toothed leaves.
SIZE: Flower stalks 3-4 feet tall.
FLOWER: Blooms in summer with flat clusters of many flower heads that look like gold
buttons, each about 1/2 inch wide.
CULTURE: Full or part sun. Tolerates poor, dry soil. Spreads fast by underground
runners; can be invasive.
PROPAGATION: Start by seed or divisions in spring or fall.
VARIETIES: Crispum has more finely divided and luxurious leaves. Jackpot forms an
18-inch tight mound with silvery-green, fern-like foliage, and white daisy-like flowers in
June.
USES: Decorative garden plant. Organic gardeners use strong-scented leaves to brew a
tea and spray it on other plants to repel insect pests, moths and ants. Flower heads dry
nicely, retaining their shape and color for use in arrangements and herbal wreaths.
Sources: Southern Herb Growing, Taylor's Guide to Growing Herbs and Encyclopedia of
Herbs and Their Uses by Herb Society of America |
