Description
Tansy flowers are golden and appear in flat-topped clusters; the tansy flower's shape is "button like". The foliage is feathery and fragrant. Common tansy is a toxic plant. The leave release a pungent aroma when rubbed which acts as a strong insect repellent, especially good for deterring flies. The Flowerhead diameter c 7-11 mm. Common tansy often grows to a height of about 3 feet with a similar spread.

Loved By Many Insects
Tansy is attractive to a wide range of insects, including hoverflies and bees, and it makes a good plant for the back of a border where its attractive foliage can set off more showy flowers.

Resists attack by Insects
It. resists attacks by crawling insect, like ants, as its stems are barbed and have downward pointed hairs, preventing the insects crawling up the stalk and attacking the bloom

Middle Ages Customs
In the Middle Ages, it was used as a 'strewing herb' and placed on floors with other herbs to help make the rooms smell sweeter. Surprisingly, it was also used as a culinary herb, despite its strong, bitter taste.

The Name of The Plant
The name of this plant comes from a Greek word meaning "immortality". People used to think that that drinking a tansy infusion would lead them to eternal life.

Culinary Uses
The plant was used as a very spicy flavouring, especially with omelettes and cakes. Tansy cake was, until recently an Easter treat.

Medicinal Uses
Tansy was used by herbologists in a whole range of treatments from miscarriages to mouthwash.