Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Feverfew Plants: Ferny Leaves and Sprays of Tiny White Daisies
Save
Feverfew is a traditional herb garden plant with ferny, lobed green leaves and sprays of small daisies, about ¾ inch across, with white rays and yellow button centers. The foliage has a strong, sharp, chrysanthemum-like scent. From late June it blooms in waves through summer, and cut stems last well in a vase.
It is a bushy, cheerful filler that fits naturally into a cottage garden, and its tiny white daisies look especially good beside purple lavender.
Feverfew at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Tanacetum parthenium |
| Flowers | Small white daisies with yellow button centers |
| Bloom | Starts late June, peaks mid-July, repeats into September |
| Size | 12 to 36 inches tall, 12 to 24 inches wide |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5a to 8b; short-lived perennial that self-seeds |
| Scent | Strong, sharp and bitter foliage |
| Cut and dried | Great as a cut flower; good dried |
| Deer | Resistant |
Feverfew with lavender
Feverfew and lavender both want drainage and good air flow, and both struggle when soil stays wet. That makes them comfortable neighbors in a sunny cottage bed. Feverfew's sprays of white daisies soften the strong lines of lavender spikes, and the white makes the purple look deeper. Its bloom overlaps the main lavender season and carries on after harvest.
Give it a little room from the lavender crowns, since feverfew is bushy and appreciates moderate water. It also tends to seed itself into gaps, which can be charming or a chore depending on your style. Plan its spot in the Companion Plant Planner.
Growing tips
- Drainage: essential. Heavy, wet soil makes overwintering worse and can lead to crown and root rot.
- Air flow: it dislikes hot, humid, still conditions, so do not crowd it.
- Water: moderate.
- Cutting back: shear after a flush of flowers to tidy the plant, encourage more blooms and limit seeding.
- Winter: overwintering can be unreliable, and university field trials have seen poor winter survival. Self-sown seedlings usually keep it going.
- Pests: aphids and leaf spot are possible, as is aster yellows.
A cutting garden favorite
Feverfew is a great cut flower. The small daisies add an airy, fresh look to bouquets, and they pair beautifully with lavender stems for a farmhouse-style bunch. The flowers also dry well; hang small bundles upside down in a dry, shaded spot. Its strong foliage scent is part of the charm in the garden, though it is not for everyone indoors.
Not a kitchen herb
Feverfew is grown as an ornamental and traditional garden plant, not for cooking. The leaves are bitter, and chewing fresh leaves can cause mouth sores, so keep it out of salads.
Choosing a size
Feverfew is offered as a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot and a 1-gallon pot. See the product page for current sizes and availability.
Frequently asked questions
Will feverfew come back every year?
Individual plants are short-lived, but feverfew self-seeds freely, so new plants usually replace the old ones.
How tall does it get?
Anywhere from 12 to 36 inches, depending on conditions.
Do deer bother it?
Deer tend to avoid its strongly scented leaves.
Share how it went in your field