Tansy, Costmary & Painted Daisy

Tanacetum

Tanacetum balsamita ( Costmary )
An invasively rhizomatous perennial, reaching a maximum size of 6 x 3.5+ feet.
The fragrant, oblong leaves are up to 18 x 3.2 ( rarely over 10 ) inches in size.
The foliage is used as a spice to add a spicy touch to salads.
The flowerheads, up to 0.7 inches wide, are borne on domed clusters, during late summer to mid-autumn.
Hardy zones 5 to 7 in full sun to partial shade.

Tanacetum coccineum ( Painted Daisy )
Also called Pyrethrum or Chrysanthemum coccineum. A clumping perennial, reaching a maximum size of 3.3 x 2 feet, that is native to the Caucasus and northern Iran in western Asia.
The feathery leaves, up to 10 ( rarely over 6 ) inches, are bright green.
The large, red daisies, up to 4 inches across, are borne during early to mid summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 7 in full sun to partial shade on fertile, alkaline, light, well drained soil. Cut back hard after flowering. Deadheading encourages continuing bloom.
Divide every 2 or 3 years during early autumn or spring to maintain vigor. It can also be propagated from cuttings or seed.
Pharmacology: due to its insecticidal properties, it makes a great companion plant for plants that are prone to insects.

* photos taken by Milan Havlis, owner of central Europe's premier plant nursery

* photo taken on May 25 2018 in Columbia, MD

'Aphrodite'
Double white flowers.

'Avalanche'
White,single flowers.

'Brenda'
Deep reddish-pink ( with white eye ), single flowers.

'Crimson Giant'
Large deep red, single flowers.

'Duro'
Reaches up to 32 inches in height, bearing very large, purple-red flowers, otherwise similar.

'Helen'
Bright pink, double flowers, otherwise identical.

'James Kelway'
Intense, scarlet-red single flowers.

'Poinsettia'
Large, red, double flowers.

'Robinson Rose'
Bright rosy-pink single blooms.

'Robinson Single Hybrids'
Large single blooms ranging from white to pink or scarlet-red.

'Vanessa'
Pink ( gold in center ) double flowers.

'Robinson's Doubles'
Reaches up to 2.5 feet in height, with double flowers of various colors borne all summer long.

'Robinson's Red'
Reaches up to 3 feet in height, with large, single flowers that are red, otherwise similar.

* photos taken by Milan Havlis, owner of central Europe's premier plant nursery

Tanacetum haradjanii
A low, carpet-forming perennial, reaching up to 8 x 12 inches, that is native to Turkey. It is a great plant for the rock garden.
The finely-dissected, lacy foliage is intense silvery.
The very small, yellow flowers, up to 0.15 inches across, are borne during late summer.

Tanacetum huronense ( Lake Huron Tansy )
A perennial, reaching up to 1 x 3.5 feet, that is native to the northern Great Lakes as well as Quebec, New Brunswick and northern Maine, mostly along the St Johns and Restigouche Rivers. It is also found around Lake Athabasca in Alberta and slightly within Northwest Territory. It is considered to be endangered in New England. It is found on gravelly shorelines of large rivers and lakes. If often spreads by a creeping rootstock to form wide mats.
The aromatic, ferny foliage is luxuriant mid-green.
The flowers, up to 1 inch across, are golden-yellow.
Hardy zones 2 to 6 in full sun to partial shade.

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Tanacetum macrophyllum
A rapid growing, rhizomatous, clumping perennial, reaching up to 5.5 feet, that is native from southeastern Europe to the Caucasus.
The ferny, divided leaves, up to 8 inches in length, are gray-green.
The large white flowers are borne on domed heads from late summer into autumn.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on just about any well drained soil Propagation is from division or seed..

Tanacetum parthenium ( Feverfew )
A fast growing, bushy, short-lived perennial, reaching up to 4 x 2+ feet in size. It has naturalized locally in North America, especially in southern Ontario, southeastern Quebec and Nova Scotia.
The aromatic, foliage is feathery. The leaves are up to 3.5 x 2.3 inches in size. The leaves are often dried and used for herbal products. Feverfew has been used as a natural remedy for migraines.
The abundant, small, white daisies, up to 0.7 inches across, are borne on branched sprays over a very long period during summer and often persisting into fall.
Hardy zones 3 to 9 ( mulch deeply during winter north of zone 6 ) in full sun on well drained soil. It is propagated from seed and it often self seeds.
Pinch plants back by half at the very end of spring for a more compact habit.

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo of unknown internet source

'Aureum'
Smaller in size, reaching up to 3 x 1.5+ ( rarely over 2 ) feet, with attractive golden-yellow foliage.
The flowers are single and white.

'Double White'
Reaches up to 3 feet in height, with pure white, double flowers.

'Golden Ball'
Compact in habit, reaching up to 1.5 feet in height, with golden-yellow flowers.

'White Stars'
Compact in habit, reaching up to 1.5 feet in height, with white ( yellow centered ) daisies.

Tanacetum vulgare ( Tansy )
A fast growing to invasive, thickly-rhizomatous perennial, reaching a maximum size of 5 x 6 ( rarely over 4 ) feet, that is native to most of Europe though now also found in the wild in North America ( from central Alaska to central Yukon to Fort McMurray, Alberta to Thunder Bay, Ontario to Batchewana, Ontario to Newfoundland; south through most of the U.S ). It is found on abandoned fields and sandy shorelines in the wild.
The attractive pinnate leaves, up to 8 inches in length, are composed of up to 23 deeply double-toothed, ovate to oval leaflets. The foliage is mid-green to deep green.
The showy, golden-yellow flowers, up to 0.5 inches across, are borne on flat clusters during mid-summer to early autumn. Very profuse blooming, up to 200 flowers may appear at a time on a plant.
The flowers are foliage are not edible and should not be eaten as they contain toxic compounds. Tansy is does have its benefits, this plant is highly repulsive to insects. It makes an excellent companion plant for Potatoes as it is so repulsive to the Colorado Potato Beetle that is my nearly eliminate that insect thus eliminate need for toxic insecticides. It can also be used to repel ants and is sometimes planted along home foundations for that reason. Tansy also repels Cucumber Beetles and Squash Bugs, also making it a valuable companion for those plants.
Deer do not eat Tansy.
Hardy zones 2 to 9 in full sun on well drained soil; it is very easy to grow.
Tolerates moderate drought.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photos taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on June 17 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Apr 21 2018 in Columbia, MD

* tansy in Port Dover, ON

* photos taken on June 19 2020 in Columbia, MD

* historic archive photo

* photos taken on Sep 24 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 6 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 8 2023 in Columbia, MD

'Crispum'
A perennial, reaching up to 4 feet with very curly, deeply cut leaves.
The aromatic, fern-like foliage is deep green.
The yellow flowers are borne during summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 in full sun.

* photo taken on July 13 2021 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey PA

* photos taken on June 19 2023 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

'Isla Gold' ( Goldleaf Tansy )
Reaches up to 3 feet with golden-yellow foliage all season.

* photo taken @ Smithsonian Inst, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

RELATED PLANTS

Chamaemelum nobile ( Roman Chamomile )
A perennial, reaching up to 1 foot in height. It is often used for filling in between stepping stones and is often allowed to self sow.
The aromatic thread-like foliage is deep green.
The flowers are white.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 on moist, fertile soil.
Pharmacology: the flowers and young foliage are used to make the famous calming Chamomile tea.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photos of unknown internet source

'Flore Pleno'
Double white flowers.