Tanacetum parthenium

Common Names

Feverfew, Pellitory, Bachelor's Buttons, Maids, Pale Maids, Featherfew, Wild Chamomile, Mid Summer Daisy, Featherfoil, Maithes

Summary

Feverfew is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae native to the Balkans and Caucasus, growing in mounded clumps about 1–3 ft tall with deeply lobed, strongly scented leaves and white daisy-like flowers with yellow centers that bloom from June to September, it prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soils, tolerating loam or sandy textures and a wide pH, and is drought tolerant, it self-seeds readily and can naturalize in borders or cottage gardens, propagation is possible from seed, division, or cuttings, and deadheading after bloom helps control self-seeding, feverfew is used medicinally for migraine relief and valued as an ornamental plant, with cautions including potential dermatitis and avoidance during pregnancy.

Lifecycle

Perennial (tender, short-lived); in cooler regions often grown as an annual; some varieties are biennial.

Height

12-36 inches

Spread

4-20 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil (loamy or sandy).

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels.

Bloom Color

White and yellow

Bloom Time

Spring to Fall

Foliage Color

Green, with yellowish-green tones.

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Rapid

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies, attracts hoverflies and tachinid flies as other pollinators, repels bees, no evidence of attraction for hummingbirds or birds