Tanacetum

With the exception of the grey-leaved sub shrub T. densum these are the aromatic tansies and feverfew. Generally best in light soils and full sun. The golden feverfew is a delightful self-seeder that pops up and brightens any chosen spot. Whereas the taller courser tansy is an ideal candidate for the wilder garden.

Whether with daisy-like or button-like flowerheads, all Tanacetum species are hugely important providers of nectar and pollen to a wide range of insects, from bees to hoverflies, ladybirds to moths. While the leaves are aromatic, an attempt to deter insect herbivores, a few specialists have overcome the toxins, most famously the tansy beetle on T. vulgare. This beautiful shiny green leaf-beetle is now known almost exclusively from tansy growing along the banks of the River Ouse around York.