🌿 Tansy
Tanacetum vulgare
herbs
perennial herb
Asteraceae
☀️ Sun
full sun to partial shade
💧 Water
low (drought-tolerant, dislikes wet soil)
🗺️ Zones
3, 8
🧪 Soil pH
5.5, 7.5
🪴 Soil Type
well-drained loam; tolerates poor, dry, or disturbed soil
🚿 Drainage
well-drained to dry
📏 Spacing
24, 36 inches
📐 Height
36, 60 inches
⏱️ Maturity
365 days (perennial, flowers second year from seed)
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (7)
Tansy planted beneath apple trees repels codling moths and apple maggot flies; also deters ants that farm aphids on apple leaves.
Tansy repels cucumber beetles and squash bugs; tall tansy provides light shade that prevents cucumber scald.
Tansy deters Japanese beetles that skeletonize grape leaves; accumulates potassium beneficial for grape fruit quality.
Tansy deters peach tree borers and oriental fruit moths; aromatic leaves mask peach scent from flying pests.
Tansy attracts beneficial insects including parasitic wasps, ladybugs, and lacewings that prey on potato pests; its strong scent may confuse some pest insects. Note: Specific CPB deterrence lacks strong scientific evidence per extension research.
Tansy deters raspberry cane borers and Japanese beetles; planted at cane row ends it repels flying insect pests.
Tansy deters Japanese beetles, aphids, and rose chafers from roses; yellow button flowers contrast beautifully with roses.
⚠️ Keep Apart (4)
Tansy can inhibit legume growth through allelopathy; its dense root mat competes with bean surface roots.
Tansy's aggressive rhizomatous roots compete with lettuce's shallow root system; tansy's allelopathic compounds inhibit lettuce seed germination.
Tansy's tall growth shades out low-growing peas; allelopathic root exudates inhibit pea nodulation and nitrogen fixation.
Tansy's spreading roots invade strawberry beds, competing for space; its shade reduces strawberry fruit production.
📝 Growing Notes
Powerful insecticidal properties , leaves repel ants, flies, moths, fleas, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. Dried tansy in sachets repels clothes moths traditionally. Accumulates potassium from soil. Rhizomatous spreader , plant where it can be contained or use root barrier. Attractive fern-like foliage and bright yellow button flowers. Rub fresh leaves on skin as natural insect repellent. Do not plant near livestock pastures , toxic to cattle and horses. 'Isla Gold' is a less-invasive variegated cultivar.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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