365 Urban Species. #308: Tansy

[urbpan]

Photo by urbpan. Location: Centre Street, Jamaica Plain.

Urban species #308: Tansy Tanacetum vulgarum

Nobody told this wildflower that it's November. My field guide says that it blooms from July until September, but I guess it didn't read the guide. Like other weeds, tansy is a hardy survivor. This European plant is a naturally insect-resistant perennial that grows in the northern two thirds of North America. It was deliberately introduced for ornamental and medicinal reasons. Its bright blossoms are composite clusters of tiny yellow flowers, like daisies without rays, and they have been valued medicinally for centuries. The plant has many active ingredients, the most powerful of which is thujone, a volatile and toxic chemical also found in the medicinal herbs yarrow and mugwort (and, famously, in absinthe, but in amounts too small to be harmful). Tansy was taken to purge intestinal worms and to induce abortions. It was also reportedly bundled up with corpses so that its strong acrid odor would repel insects. In small amounts it was even used as a flavoring, though I insist that you do not try this--a miscalculation on this use might call for the previous use.

Comments

Teh punkin wants teh tansy

[ndozo.livejournal.com]

Funny entry. (I laughed) There are lots of flowering plants that seem out of sync this year.

[red-the-squeaky.livejournal.com]

This stuff is extra toxic for cattle and horses. I have friends who used to have "Tansy Pull" 4-H community projects that sent them from one farm to the next combing the fields for this weed.

Tansy

[(Anonymous)]

I saw two north american Indian Women who always greted each other with the word Tansy . I wondered why since the tansy plant is very toxic . ---any thoughts ?

Re: Tansy

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

You got me. Despite being toxic, the plant was used as a spice and flavoring. It may have been especially valued as a medicinal herb too.