Feverfew - Identification, Description, and Uses!

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Feverfew - Tanacetum parthenium
AKA batchelor's button, featherfew, featherfoil, midsummer daisy

Feverfew plant is a nice plant to have just for the way it looks. Feverfew is a perennial plant that has escaped gardens and become established in North America. It has a long history if medicinal use, and has gained some notoriety for its ability to prevent migraine headaches. Feverfew has other medicinal uses including relieving inflammation arthritis. Originally from Europe, feverfew's medicinal use dates back to the 1st century AD. It gained a lot of attention as a medicinal plant in the 20th century for its ability to prevent migraines. In the 1970s the wife of a doctor on Wales began chewing three leaves of feverfew a day in an attempt to relieve some migraine pain. After a few months this was effective in reducing and eliminating her migraines and preventing them from returning. Feverfew has a lot of studies supporting its effectiveness. One of the ways it is thought to help with headaches and migraines is by preventing the blood vessels in the brain from constricting.

Feverfew Plant Identification and Description

Feverfew grows from a taproot and grows 1 to several branches that we 12" to 32" tall. The leaves are yellow-green, aromatic, 1-2 times pinnately lobed, fern-like and somewhat pointy-tipped. Feverfew flowers are daisy-like and grow in flat-topped clusters of up to 20 flowers. The flower heads of feverfew have yellow disc flowers and white ray flowers. The white ray flowers petals may overlap. On the underside of the flowers, there are 2-3 whorls of lance-shaped bracts with translucent edges.

Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium has Medicinal Uses

Some of the medicinal uses for feverfew include for the treatment of headaches and migraines. It is said that daily use of feverfew for months has resulted in migraines being reduced in severity and prevented from returning. Feverfew has limited benefit for the relief of headaches. Feverfew has also been used to alleviate inflammation, stress-related tension, pain and inflammation and fevers. Feverfew has also been used to relieve painful menstruation and cramping.

Crushing the feverfew leaves and inhaling deeply can help to clear the sinuses. Due to the bitterness and the warning below related to eating and chewing feverfew leaves, many people who use feverfew medicinally use it in tincture or capsule form.

Feverfew is Edible

You can eat the leaves of feverfew, but they are very bitter and also they might cause mouth ulcers. A tea can be made from the leaves and flowers which is also bitter and aromatic, but it is not as bitter as eating the leaves themselves. However, eating the feverfew leaves may cause mouth ulcers.

Distribution of Feverfew

Feverfew is a widespread garden escapee found in much of North America. It is originally from Europe and is now established here. In the Pacific Northwest, feverfew can be found from BC to California at low to mid elevations on disturbed sites and in gardens.

A Warning about Feverfew

Chewing the leaves may cause mouth ulcers. Feverfew is also not recommended for pregnant women because it may affect uterine contractions.

Please consume wild plants at your own risk! Consult multiple reliable sources before consuming any wild plants! This video is for information and entertainment only!

References

Gladstar, Rosemary. Herbs for Common Ailments. Storey Publishing. 2014.

Grogan, Barbara. Recipes for Natural Living: Healing Herbs Handbook. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2018.

Kloos, Scott. Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants. Timber Press, Inc. 2017
MacKinnon, A. Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine Media Productions (BC) Ltd. 2014.

MacKinnon, A. Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine Media Productions (BC) Ltd. 2014.

Pojar, Jim and MacKinnon, Andy. Plants of Coastal British Columbia including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. BC Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing. 2004.