Tansy - Tanacetum vulgare - €6 per plant 

 Tansy provides a number of benefits in the garden.  We have the plant scattered around the garden on sunny edges and within gaps in the trees to take full advantage of these benefits. The plant accumulates potassium and is very useful to fruit trees. Its strong scent confuses pests masking the smell of food plants that they find attractive and an insecticidal spray can be made from the plant biomass. Let's not forget that the leaves make a great addition to salads and to herbal tea brews. To order this plant please contact us [email protected].  

Context

  • native region: Europe
  • native habitat: A common plant of waste ground, hedgerows etc
  • family: Asteraceae or Compositae

Predators

  • none known

Needs, tolerances 

  • Light: Full sun 
  • soil pH:  acid-neutral -basic alkaline 
  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 3a - 9b
  • Prefers moist soil
  • Best grown in an open sunny site.
  • Tolerates drought 

Known hazards 

  • The plant is poisonous if large quantities are ingested. There have been cases of death in N. America from drinking strong brews of the tea, presumably as an abortifacient.
  • Can be invasive 

Overview

  • Herbaceous perennial  growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 1.5 m (5ft). ​
  • It is in flower from Aug to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to October. 
  • The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, self.The plant is self-fertile. 
  • It is noted for attracting wildlife. 
  • Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. 
  • Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. 
  • It cannot grow in the shade. 
  • It prefers dry or moist soil. 
  • The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Characteristics

  • form: medium sized herb 
  • layer : Herb Layer
  • habit: clumping, spreading via rhizomes 
  • height x width (m): 1 x 1.5
  • years to bearing yield: 0 years  
  • productive life span:  indefinite

Products 

  • Leaf: Young leaves quite bitter but fine when added to salads also used for herbal tea.
  • The plant is also used as a flavouring, it is a substitute for nutmeg and cinnamon
  • A green dye is obtained from the young shoots
  • Insecticidal spray made from plant and used against a host of predators and pests 
  • Medicinal: Tansy is a commonly grown domestic remedy, useful in treating a wide range of complaints, though it is little used in modern herbalism

Functions, behaviours

  • easy to propagate by division
  • The flowers are very attractive to bees and amongst other pollinators
  • The root system is rhizomatous and fragments of root left in the soil can produce new plants 
  • The plant is a good addition to the compost heap, being valued for its mineral content
  • Both the growing and the dried plant are said to repel flies, ants and fleas.
If you would like this plant please send an email to [email protected] with your order. 
Balkan Ecology Project