Tanacetum Flowers

Name : Tanacetum Flowers
Latin Name : Genus: Tanacetum, (Tanacetum vulgare)
Tanacetum Description

And where the marjoram once, and sage, and rue,
And balm, and mint, with curl'd-leaf parsley grew,
And double marigolds, and silver thyme,
And pumpkins 'neath the window climb;
And where I often, when a child, for hours
Tried through the pales to get the tempting flowers,
As lady's laces, everlasting peas,
True-love-lies-bleeding, with the hearts-at-ease,
And golden rods, and tansy running high,
That o'er the pale-tops smiled on passers-by.

John Clare

Tanacetum is a genus comprising of about 70 species of flowering plants in the Aster Family Asteraceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Common namesfor the tanacetum flower include Tansy, Common Tansy, Garden Tansy, Feverfew, Bachelor's Buttons, Bitter Buttons, Boerenwormkruid, Buttons, Ginger Plant, Gold-buttons, Ponso, Solucanotu, Tanaceto, Cow Bitter, Mugwort, and Yomogi-Giku. The variety Tanacetum parthenium is commonly known as Feverfew while T. vulgare is commonly known as Tansy.

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant with golden button like flowers that appear in flat-topped clusters. Common tansy often grows to a height of around 3 feet. Tansy flowers bloom from July through September. Tanacetum has fern-like, fragrant foliage with a feathery texture. The fragrance of Tansy flowers is similar to that of camphor with hints of rosemary. The stem is smooth, stout, somewhat reddish, and erect. Tansy flowers are hermaphrodite, meaning Tansy flowers have both male and female organs on the same flower and are pollinated by bees and flies. The leaves and flowers of Tanacetum are said to be poisonous if consumed in large quantities.

Tansy flowers are low maintenance plants that require very little attention. They do not tolerate wet soils and prefer average, somewhat dry soils with a good drainage. Plant Tanacetum in either full sun or partial shade. Tansy is both heat and drought tolerant, and is also deer resistance.

Tanacetum can be propagated by seeds sown spring in a greenhouse. The seedlings are then planted out in late spring or early summer. Another method of propagation is by division in spring.

Tanacetum or Tansy is a trouble free perennial that works very well as a companion plant in your garden. Tansy looks best when planted in large groupings, providing the greatest impact in the landscape. Tansy works great in the perennial flower bed as borders, edging, or in clumps.

Tansy or Tanacetum is an excellent cut flower as well. Tansy works well for fresh bouquets and also for drying. Tanacetum is a good filler and can be used to compliment darker flowers in a bouquet or arrangement. The fern like foliage can also be used in an arrangement. Tanacetum has a good vase life and is ideal for summer wedding themes.

Tanacetum Meaning

The Tanacetum or Tansy is a hardy flower and like its nature, it signifies "Resistance" and can be used to convey the message "I declare against you."

Tanacetum Mythology

It is believed that the ancient Greeks may have been the first to cultivate it as a medicinal herb. In about 1525, Tanacetum was listed as "necessary for a garden" in Britain, under the name "Tansey."

Tanacetum derives its common name Tansy from the Greek word athanatos, which means immortality. This may be so because tansy was used in ancient times for embalming. According to a legend from Greek mythology, Zeus made Ganymede immortal by giving the latter Tansy on Mount Olympus.

Sussex people believed that placing Tanacetum leaves in the shoe would prevent ague. Traditionally the juice of Tanacetum leaves was extracted to flavour puddings and cakes for Easter and during Lent young Tansy leaves were eaten to sweeten body odours caused by the limited food intake. Tanacetum has a hot, bitter though not unpleasant taste and most of the recipes for this plant refer back to Elizabethan times. Nowadays Tanacetum is mainly used for decorative purposes.

During the eighth century A.D., Tanacetum was grown in the herb gardens of Charlemagne (Charles the Great) and by Benedictine monks belonging to the Swiss monastery of St. Gall. At that time Tansy was considered a cure for intestinal worms, helped with rheumatism, digestive problems and fevers. It was also used to heal sores, and to “bring out” measles.

During the Middle Ages and later, high doses of Tanacetum were used to induce abortions. Contradictorily, Tanacetum was also used to help women conceive and to prevent miscarriages. In England, bunches of Tansy were traditionally placed at windows to keep out insects, ants and flies. Sprigs of Tansy were also placed in bedding and linen to drive away pests. Tansy is grown in the garden with a similar purpose as it keeps ants and insects from damaging the plants. Tanacetum is also used by some traditional dyers to produce a golden-yellow pigment.