




Tanacetum vulgare
Tansy is a bright yellow flower that grows in fields and gardens. Its leaves are feathery and it has a strong smell that some people find interesting!
Habitat: Grasslands
The tansy has dense clusters of small, bright yellow, button-like flowers without ray petals. Its leaves are deeply divided and fern-like, with a strong, pungent aroma. The stems are typically sturdy and upright.





Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Ancient Greeks used tansy to help preserve bodies, likely because of its strong scent!
Its scientific name, `Tanacetum`, means 'immortality' because its flowers last so long!
People used to place tansy leaves in shoes, believing it could soothe tired, aching feet!
Tansy was once baked into a special 'tansy cake' eaten during the Christian season of Lent!
Tansy has a strong, pungent scent that helps it repel many plant-eating insects, protecting its leaves.
Tansy can spread vigorously using underground stems (rhizomes), creating new plants to colonize areas.
Tansy produces natural compounds that make it unappetizing or toxic to most herbivores.
Apis mellifera
collects nectar and pollen from tansy flowers
Bombus terrestris
visits tansy blooms for essential nectar and pollen
Chrysolina graminis
specialized beetle whose larvae and adults feed on tansy
Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second.
Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.
Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Danger
2/5 · Low
Do not touch or eat any plants without asking an adult.
60-150 cm
30-60 cm
0.5-1 cm
Summer-fall
No
Moderate
Perennial
Insect
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Massachusetts, US
You might spot American Robin and Eastern Gray Squirrel.
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Québec, CA
You might spot Common Eastern Bumble Bee and Asian Lady Beetle.
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British Columbia, CA
You might spot Red-Winged Blackbird, Tree Swallow, and Great Blue Heron.
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Washington, US
You might spot Purple Foxglove, Tansy, and Broad-Leaved Sweet Pea.
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Washington, US
You might spot Canada Goose, Duck, and American Coot.
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British Columbia, CA
You might spot Pacific Bleeding Heart, Tansy, and Western Sword Fern.
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