Feverfew

Category: medicinal-herbs

Growing

  • 📍 Zone: 4-9 (can behave as a short-lived perennial or self-seeding annual depending on climate)
  • 🌞 Sun: Full sun preferred; tolerates partial shade
  • 💧 Water: Moderate; drought-tolerant once established but grows best with consistent moisture
  • 🌱 Soil: Well-draining soil; not fussy about pH but prefers neutral to slightly alkaline conditions

Planting

  • 📏 Height: 18-24 inches
  • 📏 Spacing: 12-18 inches apart
  • 📅 When To Plant: Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost or direct sow outdoors after frost danger passes
  • 🌱 Propagation: Primarily from seed; can also be divided in early spring or fall
  • ⬇️ Depth: Surface sow seeds; they need light to germinate
  • 🤝 Companion:
    • 0: Roses (may deter aphids)
    • 1: Tomatoes (potential pest deterrent)
  • 🚫 Avoid Planting Near:

    Care & Maintenance

    • ✂️ Pruning: Deadhead spent flowers to prolong blooming and limit self-seeding if not desired
    • 🪢 Staking Or Support: May need support in windy areas due to its branching habit
    • ❄️ Overwintering: Mulch lightly in colder zones; perennial forms may die back and regrow from the base in spring

    Harvesting & Usage

    • ⏰ When To Harvest: Harvest leaves before flowering for medicinal use; flowers can also be collected when fully open
    • ✋ How To Harvest: Cut stems or pinch leaves; harvest in the morning after dew has dried for best potency
    • 🥫 Preservation: Air dry leaves and flowers in a dark, dry location; store in airtight containers
    • ⚠️ Edible Or Toxic: Generally considered safe in small quantities; fresh leaves can cause mouth ulcers or digestive upset. Avoid during pregnancy and in individuals allergic to related plants (e.g., ragweed).
    • 🍴 Culinary: Rarely used in culinary applications due to bitter flavor; sometimes added in tiny amounts to salads (young leaves only, used sparingly)
    • 💊 Medicinal:
      • Migraine Prevention: Traditionally used to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. Contains parthenolide, thought to inhibit compounds involved in migraine onset. Typically consumed as a daily supplement (dried leaf capsules or tincture).
      • Anti-inflammatory: Used for relief of arthritis and general inflammation due to natural anti-inflammatory compounds.
      • Digestive Support: Historically used in small doses to stimulate digestion and ease bloating, though its bitter taste limits use.
      • Fever Reduction: As the name implies, used in folk medicine as a febrifuge (fever reducer), often in tea form, though this is less common today.
    • 🌸 Aromatic: Strong, pungent scent that can repel certain garden pests

    Ecological Info

    • 🐝 Pollinators:
      • 0: Bees
      • 1: Hoverflies
      • 2: Butterflies
    • 🦌 Wildlife Resistance: Deer and rabbits tend to avoid feverfew due to its bitter compounds and strong scent