Tansy

Tanacetum vulgare

Compositae / Asteraceae Composite / Aster Family

Common names: Buttons, Bitter Buttons, Parsley Fern, Hindheal, Johnson's Remedy, Wurmkraut, Herbe Amere, Tanacetro, Hierba Iomgriguera

Tanacetum contains about 70 species of aromatic herbs. Native to Europe and Asia, it was brought to America by the colonists. It grows along roadways, hedgerows, railroad embankments and other disturbed places. It is also grown in gardens as an ornamental. Although not particularly fussy about soil conditions, it does appreciate good drainage.

Tansy is a long-lived, hardy perennial growing two to four feet tall in dense stands. It has an erect, stout stem with bright green, alternate leaves that are deeply divided and somewhat feathery. It spreads by rhizomes.

Between May and September, depending on the area, the round one-fourth to one-half inch wide, flat topped, button-like flowers appear in clusters. Very attractive and conspicuous, Tansy's flowers may be enjoyed in the garden or freshly cut to decorate the home. When dried, the flowers can be used in craft projects. After flowering, the plant should be cut back to maintain its shape and the plant parts discarded to enrich the compost.

Tansy, especially when crushed or dried, has a camphor-like smell and in times past was used as an insect repellent. It was a classic English strewing herb. The plant, probably cut, was tossed onto the floor and crushed as it was walked on and the odor, which the flies disliked, kept them away. Even today, plants placed around the house may repel flies, ants, and mice. (Ortho's All About Herbs)

Tansy was popular as a flavoring and was used to make Tansy cakes, sometimes called Tansies, to be eaten at Easter time. In the spring, while the leaves were young, they would be finely shredded or pounded in a mortar and mixed with eggs, cream, spices, etc., to make cakes, puddings, and omelets. Tansy teas were also popular.

An entirely different use for Tansy, one used for thousands of years until the middle of the 19th century, was as an embalming agent. Perhaps for that reason it was known as the "immortal" herb.

Historically, the major medicinal use has been to expel intestinal worms. It was also considered one of the best remedies for menstrual problems and helpful for heart palpitations. Additional uses were for hysteria, kidney weakness, to relieve spasms and cure the ague (fever).

Poultices of the leaves, pounded and applied externally to the skin, as well as fomentations dipped in Tansy tea were used for wounds, eruptive diseases of the skin, and on rheumatic parts to give relief. Both the roots, preserved in honey or sugar, and the flowers and the seeds in an infusion have been used to lessen the pain and swelling of gout.

As a medicine, Tansy was always used in small doses (one half to one teaspoonful of the fluid extract) because larger doses produced distressful reactions and an overdose could be fatal.

In the United States, Tansy is considered toxic and the FDA prohibits the sale of Tansy for food or medicine. Fortunately, there is more than one herb available for each problem so modern day herbalists have turned to safer herbs.