Tansy Herb

Yellow tansy herb flowers make a strong display in the garden or dried in winter bouquets.

It is also known as Common Tansy, Bitter Buttons, Cow Bitter, Mugwort, or Golden Buttons.

Growing tansy will also give you plenty of leaves for insect-repelling lotions.

Tansy can get weedy if left unattended.

Tansy is such a useful companion plant that gardeners sometimes hesitate to pull out all the volunteers it produces.

Tansy self-sows abundantly. Fortunately, it's easy to pull, so you shouldn't let this top you from growing it.

Description

Tansy is a perennial that can grow 3 to 4 feet tall in zones 4 to 8.

Flowers: Bright yellow clusters of many small buttonlike flowers bloom at the tops of the stems from midsummer until early fall.

Leaves: The ferny leaves are divided into about 12 leaflets with toothed edges. Plants will die back in the winter.

Flavor and fragrance: Tansy is not recommended for inernal use; it has a strong, somewhat bitter aroma.

How To Grow

When to plant: Plant the seeds indoors six to eight weeks before your last spring frost date, and transplant the seedlings to the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Divide the established plants in the spring or fall.

Where to plant: Tansy herb prefers partial or filtered shade but will tolerate full sun if the soil is moist.

Soil and fertility: Plant tansy in moist well-drained soil of average fertility. Plants need about an inch of moisture every week. Apply 1/2 inch of compost every spring.

Plant spacing: Allow about 3 to 4 feet between the plants.

Pests: Aphids

Diseases: Usually disease-free

Harvesting

When to harvest: You can harvest leaves anytime. For best quality, always harvest in the morning after the dew has dried. You can pick the flowers in the afternoon from midsummer to fall when they are almost fully open.

How to harvest: Cut the whole stems, with or without flowers.

Drying: Hang the stems upside down to air dry.

Uses

Cooking: Don't use tansy in cooking, even though you may find recipes in older herbals that may include it. This plant may cause illness when taken internally.

Medicinal: Extract the active ingrediants in tansy in a light oil to make a skin lotion that helps to control acne.

Arrangements: Fresh-cut tansy flowers are a nice addition to a summer bouquet. Stems of dried flowers add a tall, colorful note to arrangements.

Insect repellent: Tansy herb repels many insects. Keep pots of it near all your doors to discourage ants from entering your home. Use it in insect-repelling lotions. Include the dried leaves and flowers in pest-repellent cusions for your pets.