# tansy (*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! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 12 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Common Tansy ![tansy](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tanacetum_vulgare_-_harilik_soolikarohi_Keilas2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tanacetum_vulgare_-_harilik_soolikarohi_Keilas2.jpg) ## Appearance 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Tanacetum ## Interesting facts - 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! ## Special abilities - **Scent Shield:** Tansy has a strong, pungent scent that helps it repel many plant-eating insects, protecting its leaves. - **Underground Network:** Tansy can spread vigorously using underground stems (rhizomes), creating new plants to colonize areas. - **Chemical Defense:** Tansy produces natural compounds that make it unappetizing or toxic to most herbivores. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from tansy flowers - **Pollinates:** buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits tansy blooms for essential nectar and pollen - **Eats:** tansy beetle (*Chrysolina graminis*) — specialized beetle whose larvae and adults feed on tansy ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not touch or eat any plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify tansy? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is tansy? 60-150 cm ### How wide does tansy spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on tansy? 0.5-1 cm ### When does tansy bloom? Summer-fall ### Is tansy edible? No ### Is tansy toxic? Moderate ### What is tansy's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Green Animals Topiary Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/green-animals-topiary-garden) — Rhode Island, US · Botanical Garden - [Union Bay Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/union-bay-natural-area) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Malcolm Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/malcolm-preserve) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Assinins](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/assinins) — Michigan, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see tansy](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/tansy) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Tansy: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tansy)