




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
12
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.
The easiest way to identify tansy is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
60-150 cm
30-60 cm
0.5-1 cm
Summer-fall
No
Moderate
Perennial
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
Washington, US
You might spot Pacific Banana Slug and Oregon Forestsnail.
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Washington, US
You might spot Western Skunk Cabbage, Thimbleberry, and Barred Owl.
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Massachusetts, US
You might spot American Red Squirrel and Eastern White Pine.
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Michigan, US
You might spot Common Merganser, Tansy, and American Herring Gull.
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New Hampshire, US
You might spot Hackberry Emperor, Tansy, and Wood Nettle.
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South Dakota, US
You might spot Wood Duck, Tansy, and Mountain Goat.
View guide →