How to Grow and Care for Tansy Flowers

About Growing Tansy Plants in Your Home Flower Garden

Looking for a beautiful flower that is little or no work? Meet the perennial Tansy plant, the no-maintenance flower. Both heat and drought-tolerant, this plant will not mind if you ignore it. It will still produce charming clusters of small golden buttons. So, start growing tansies today, and leave the work to nature!

Originating in Europe where it grew wild, Tansies are members of the Thistle family. It blooms in mid-summer above ferny leaves. Many gardeners use Tansy as a natural, organic insect repellent. The leaves give off a stinky, strongly pungent odor that the bugs just don’t like.

Did you know? The leaves were once used in flavoring. Tansies were also used to produce “Oil of Tansy”, which is poisonous, but was once used in medicine.

Tansy is great in the flower bed as borders, edging, or in clumps. They are also good for fresh bouquets and for drying.

Important: Tansies plants are toxic to people, pets, and livestock.

Flowers Bloom: Summer

Flower Colors: Yellow

Plant height: 2 to 4 feet tall.

Plant Hardiness Zones: 4 – 8

Perennial, Tanacetum vulgare

Perennial Tansies Plant Propagation

Tansy is grown from seeds in the spring. Directly seed them into your flower garden after all danger of frost. Sow the seeds early in the season and cover lightly with 1/4″ of fine garden or potting soil. Then, water thoroughly once. Also, make sure to mark the area where you planted them, as they take weeks to sprout.

Also, they can be started indoors 8 – 10 weeks before the last frost in your area.

Note: For indoor starts, we recommend using a heated germination mat, to increase the speed of germination. And, it, results in a higher germination rate.

Established plants can be propagated by division in the fall.

Note: For indoor starts, we recommend using a heated germination mat, to increase the speed of germination. And, it, results in a higher germination rate.

Final Plant Spacing: Space plants 2 to 3 feet apart.

Days to Germination: Seeds sprout in 20 – 30 days.

About Seed Germination

How to Grow Tansy Flower Plants

Tansy plants are easy to grow and low maintenance. They prefer full sun to partial shade. They grow well in average or even poor soils. Add a general-purpose fertilizer when planting them, especially if the soil is poor.

Once your Tansy plants are established, they should grow well with few problems and no maintenance.

Keep the soil moist to slightly dry. Water them during extended dry periods.

Ideal Soil pH: 5.0 – 7.5.

Also, see:

Plant Problems – Identify the causes and find the cures.