Feverfew seed Tanacetum parthenium
LATIN NAME: Tanacetum parthenium
COMMON NAME: Feverfew
Feverfew is the fresh, fern-leaved, old-fashioned herb of the cool gardens, and its masses of the small, white, daisy-like flowers have made it a familiar of the borders and the herb beds for a very long time. The finely divided, feathery, aromatic leaves form a bushy, low plant, and the small, white flowers with the yellow centres cover it through the summer. The plant has a long and careful record in the old practice, and it is a cheerful, easy, self-sowing plant of the sunny garden. It is a fine, generous herb for the border and the path.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Feverfew has a well-documented place in the plant science, and the aromatic compounds in the leaves and the flowers have been studied for a long time for their place in the traditional practice. The chemistry of the plant, which has a very long record of use, has been looked into, and it keeps showing up in the work on the traditional herbs and the medicinal plants of the old world. The small, white, daisy-like flowers and the feathery leaves have also made it a fine, easy garden plant, and the plant is a regular subject of the studies of the old garden herbs and the self-sowing perennials.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Feverfew is grown for the pretty, daisy-like flowers and the long record of use. The aromatic leaves and the flowers have a traditional place in the old practice, and the plant is a cheerful, easy, self-sowing addition to the border, the herb bed and the path. The small, white flowers pull in the bees and the hoverflies through a long summer, and the feathery leaves give the plant a fine, fresh look. It has been written up in the botanical and the herbal papers for its long history of use, and it is a generous, easy plant of the sunny garden.
The feverfew has a long and careful record in the old practice, and the aromatic leaves have been used by the country people of the old world for a very long time. It is also one of the most generous of the self-sowing plants, dropping its seed around the garden and returning year after year with little fuss. The feathery, aromatic foliage gives the border a fine, fresh look, and a single plant will quietly start a whole family of its own.
The feverfew is a fine, cheerful plant of the sunny border, and the masses of the small, white, daisy-like flowers open through a long summer. The feathery, aromatic leaves are the great charm of the plant, and they stay fresh and green through the season.
To grow the feverfew from seed, press the fine, slender seeds into the surface of pots of moist, free-draining soil without covering them, since they like the light, then keep the pots in a bright, cool, open spot and water gently. The seedlings are up within a couple of weeks and grow on fast, so thin them out early. A sunny, well-drained spot will bring the ferny foliage and the small, white flowers through the summer.
Feverfew is a daisy-like member of the sunflower family that is native to southeast Europe. This short perennial flowers from July through October and is essentially maintenance-free. This seemingly ordinary plant is actually valued for a multitude of medicinal uses. The primary active constituent in the plant is called parthenolide, which is resides most plentifully in the flowers and fruit. Parthenolide prevents constriction, which makes feverfew a popular herbal remedy for migraine headaches. In addition to preventing constriction, feverfew is an anti-inflammatory, making it a popular treatment for arthritis and general pain relief. In addition to these, feverfew reportedly relieves muscle spasms due to a mild sedative action. It also has a positive effect on the stomach and can be used for menstrual problems, asthma relief and irritated skin. It is even believed to have potential as an anti-cancer drug because it kills leukemia cells.
The seeds should be sown outdoors in early spring. It can be grown in ordinary soil, but it will thrive in a rich, dry, well-drained loam. They can be spread directly on top of the soil or mixed with sand before broadcasting in the same manner. Keep the soil evenly moist until germination occurs. Seedlings can also be started indoors and transplanted if care is taken not to damage the roots. Seeds sown indoors should be cold stratified in the fridge for 10 days or more prior to planting. Plants should be given full sun to partial shade. Feverfew reseeds easily.