Tansy as well as feverfew (Tanacetum spp.) are primarily medicinal as far as human uses go. Both are nonnative to Ontario. I went back and forth about lumping them together or not, and chose to lump as they are similar. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) and feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) are not an edible species by modern considerations, even though some older sources mention them being used as culinary herbs. There are reports of people dying from the oils leeched when making a tea from tansy, particularly from medicinal treatments.
When Haliburton Flora was compiled, only tansy was found and rarely. However, wherever it is planted it will spread somewhat aggressively, so tansy sightings are fairly common in Ontario nowadays. Feverfew is less common.
Not-so Edible Uses of Tansies
A volatile oil present in both species is toxic, so old uses for tea or as a sage substitute (FYI sage contains the same toxin to some degree) are not recommended by many of today’s popular foraging experts. If you venture despite this, do so sparingly, and skim the oil off the top of your tea as you would cedar.
Medicinal Uses of Feverfew
Feverfew is primarily said to support these body systems:
- Circulatory
- Digestive
- Integumentary
- Nervous
- Reproductive
Medicinal tags include Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antispasmodic, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Purgative, Stimulant and Vermifuge. See Medicinal tag key for more information.
Common usage is an infusion of fresh aerial parts of feverfew for headaches including migraines and dry sinus headaches. And also for allergy relief. This is said to be due to reducing serotonin and histamine, which can trigger headaches, and not anti-inflammatory properties per se. Camphor (a primary component of feverfew) can also relax blood vessels and smooth muscles, same as peppermint. Feverfew has been called the “medieval aspirin”. Note, like tansy (which I’ll get into below), it does contain the potential poison α-thujene, but less. Despite containing less of the oil that makes tansy a solid no-go for self treatment, it’s best to have a trained and experienced herbalist’s help with herbs like feverfew. A peppermint oil roll-on or salve on the other hand is beginner friendly.
The name feverfew is from the Latin word febrifugia, but other herbs are more popular as a “febrifuge” today. I didn’t even include febrifuge in the medicinal tags here.
Feverfew may also be used by an herbalist in cases of painful or delayed periods or scant menses. As an Emmenagogue, it shouldn’t be used by women who are pregnant or trying to conceive. Tansy, even moreso:
While they have some similarities, tansy (T. vulgare) has mostly seen historical use as an anthelmintic for deworming and as an emmenagogue used to induce abortions, but this also sometimes killed the mother. There are many cases of people dying trying to self induce an abortion with herbs. Self medicating can be worse than a wire hanger. The pill may not even be safe for women. You can find safer help at Pregnancy Decision Health Centers.
Large doses of the poison thujone can be lethal. It can even be poisonous even when applied externally. Thujone is also in wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), common sage (Salvia officinalis), and cedar (Thuja occidentalis) amoung other plants requiring careful handling in herbalism. The quantity of said poison in the plant can vary on things as complex as weather. There are much safer options for worms and woman’s medicine. It’s especially not for self medication.
In some places, thujone is required to be removed from herbal products (less than 10 parts per million thujone). In others, maximums are set up to 35 mg/kg depending on the product. Some products slide by, like sage essential oil. For perspective, it takes 30-60 mg/kg thujone to kill mice. This volatile oil is one of those plant components that is likely to get herbals like cedar fearmongered for click-bait, while we all eat oregano and sage without worry. It’s in the dosage. Knowledge > fear. But take care.
Alternative Uses of Tansies
Tansy can be used alone or with elder leaves to keeps flies and other insects away. It’s the oil in the leaves that repels insects. This was the first use I was ever taught for tansy.
Feverfew essential oil is used for perfume.
Growing Tanacetum Bipinnatum
Good news for tansy lovers – in most of Canada, eastern AKA dune tansy (Tanacetum bipinnatum) is native. Lucky that is, if you can source the seeds! It’s a rare plant that prefers shores of rivers and lakes. Perhaps eastern tansy will have its day in the sun some year. I’ve never seen it mentioned in native plant groups!
WARNINGS
Especially don’t consume if pregnant or trying to conceive.
Don’t consume if taking blood thinners.
Fresh leaves can cause mouth ulcers.
And the Usual Cautions:
1) Most medicinal herbs, if edible, are meant to be eaten in moderation, even sparingly. Some require extra preparation. Tannins are toxic if consumed in excess. Before taking any new supplements, you should consult with a healthcare professional.
2) A vast amount of these herbs are diuretic. (See the Medicinal tags above to check if this featured herb is one of them!) Diuretics are generally safe, but they can be risky for people with other medical conditions or who take certain medications. Please consult your doctor if you have any health conditions.
3) People can be allergic or sensitive to nearly any plant; try new herbs one at a time at your own risk. For instance, saponins commonly cause stomach upset.
4) For serious medicinal use, I must recommend receiving a diagnosis and working with a reputed health care provider. I generally do not post specific treatments and dosages because I think that is best between you and your health care provider, and ideally monitored.
5) Anyone pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription drugs should talk to a health care professional before adding new food items to their diet.
6) Many plants have look-a-likes, and sometimes they are poisonous.
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RESOURCES
Sam Thayer’s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Eastern & Central North America
https://data.canadensys.net/vascan/taxon/3605
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada
The Good Living Guide to Natural and Herbal Remedies: Simple Salves, Teas, Tinctures, and More
Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants
Indian Herbalogy of North America: The Definitive Guide to Native Medicinal Plants and Their Uses
The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine
How Indians Use Wild Plants for Food, Medicine & Crafts (Native American)
A Modern Herbal (Volume 2, I-Z and Indexes)
The Herb Book: The Most Complete Catalog of Herbs Ever Published (Dover Cookbooks)
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