Name:   Tanacetum parthenium aka feverfew

Type of Plant:    A traditional cottage garden perennial (although it can be short-lived) that flowers in early summer with small daisy-like blooms. Hardy in zones 5 to 8.

Why I Love/Hate this plant   This is a plant for those who are actively working in their gardens and don’t mind editing out self-seeders or transplanting seedlings to a better location. I love this as a cut flower in bouquets and for the cheerful daisy-like flowers in the garden. I love that it’s easy to weed out where I don’t want it, and it’s willing to wander in my perennial and annual gardens in a gentle way. I love hearing about the various ways this plant has been used medicinally through the years, and I appreciate that the bunnies don’t eat it.

A Word to the Wise:  This isn’t a plant for people who want their flowers to be predictable and controllable. This is a country-style garden plant for northern gardens where it doesn’t get terribly hot in the summer. Knowing that feverfew self-seeds, those who want fewer plants should be sure to clip off flower heads as they go by so the plant doesn’t form many seeds.

I love how feverfew looks in country-style bouquets.

The plant grows about two feet tall and wide. It mingles well with perennials.

Feverfew has sweet, small daisy-like flowers that can’t fail to cheer you up.