Tansy Plant

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Tansy Plant Tea (Loose) 4 oz 511005 $17.55
8 oz 511006 $28.12
Tansy Plant Tea 25 tea bags 511007 $20.35
50 tea bags 511008 $31.54
Tansy Plant Cream 2 oz 512696 $27.67
Tansy Plant - Salve Ointment 2 oz 512709 $34.37
Tansy Plant Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5) 1 oz - No Flavor 512723 $17.97
1 oz - Strawberry 512724 $18.87
1 oz - Mint 513156 $18.87
1 oz - Chocolate 513157 $18.87
1 oz - Vanilla 513158 $18.87
Tansy Plant - 450 mg 100 capsules 511002 $26.55
Tansy Plant Powder 4 oz 511003 $26.97
1 oz 511004 $12.02

• Traditionally used to help support digestive disorders, excessive gas, nausea, skin irritations, jaundice, water retention and much more.
Tanacetum vulgare, or tansy, is a perennial favorite among gardeners who value its height, beautiful leaves and long-lasting yellow flowers. Although nowadays mostly used as a trimming and border plant, tansy is, in fact, a very old herb with a rich history steeped in Greek mythology and Christian theology. Tansy was also a very often used health herb and its unique rejuvenating powers have rescued many unfortunates from a variety of illnesses and ailments.

Tansy was a well-known herb to various ancient peoples, particularly the Greeks. It is postulated that tansy's very name comes from the Greek word for "immortal," athanaton. This, according to the ancient writer Dodoens, was due to the long life of tansy's flowering buds. Another writer, Ambrosius, believed the connection was with tansy's role in preserving the dead from physical corruption. Apparently tansy had a place in Greek funeral rites. Ganymede, the beautiful Trojan prince, was supposedly made immortal by taking tansy after he was carried away to Mt. Olympus by Zeus, who was enamored by Ganymede's physical perfection.

It is tansy's role in medieval Christianity, however, that is most fascinating. Tansy was one of the plants dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and each year Lent officially ended with the eating of a special dish called a "tansy." The fresh young leaves of the plant were mixed and cooked with eggs, cream, flour, sugar, and wine and eaten on Easter Sunday. Christian writers at the time believed that tansy could purify "bad humours" from the body that had accumulated there during the long Winter and restrictive Lenten diet of salted fish. Other writers believe that Christians ate the "tansies" as a remembrance of the bitter herbs traditionally eaten by the Jewish at Passover.

Medieval Europeans used tansy as a culinary spice and as a replacement for nutmeg and cinnamon. Tansy was also brewed up as a tea which, despite its bitter taste, was a popular Lenten beverage and many a hearty meal was topped off with tansy pudding. All of this leads us to the inevitable conclusion that tansy was once a very popular and well-known herb that was safely used by many, and that it had mythological links to immortality and eternal life.

In medieval times, tansy can be used to help support a variety of health concerns. Its most well-known use was as a disinfectant, particularly in children. Children troubled by bloating would have a cup of tansy tea in the morning, and another at night. Tansy leaves were also used by elderly Europeans for such things as stomach upset, a wash for wounds, fever, and the roots can be used to help support joint pain. Tansy, however, is of value in resolving several other complaints which we'll discuss below. But what makes tansy "tick?"

Tanacetin, a bitter principle, is found mostly in the flowers. Bitter herbs typically stimulate the digestive tract to greater activity. The herb also contains smaller amounts of tannic acid (an astringent found in a great many plants), sugars, various glycosides, camphor, and essential oil. The essential oil contains thujone. Thujone is found in other herbs, most notably sage, and is a good antiseptic. It has also been shown to be a uterine stimulant in animals. It is for this reason that tansy has an age-old reputation as an effective abortifacient.

Because of this, tansy should never be given to or used by pregnant women.

Tansy is also an excellent carminative that removes excess gas from the digestive tract. Nausea, feeble digestion, and irritations can all be helped by tansy. Tansy can also be used successfully in resolving jaundice.

Tansy is a good diuretic, making it useful for some kidney complaints and excessive water retention. Tansy is also a little-known supportive for prostatitis. Tansy is a powerfully antispasmodic herb. This quality, and tansy's ability to act specifically on the prostate, make it valuable for acute prostatic difficulties. Tansy is usually combined in equal parts with either kava kava, golden seal, or agrimony in resolving prostatitis.

While tansy needs to be avoided by pregnant women, its ability to stimulate the uterus, makes it superb for blocked or painful menstruation. Tansy is usually combined in equal parts with chamomile or peppermint for support of amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea. Along these same lines, tansy is effective as a douche for leukorrhea.

Externally, sprains, inflammations, swellings, and painful joints can all be eased with a hot fomentation of tansy. Soak some torn cotton towel strips in the hot infusion and then wrap the strips around the affected area. Remove and replace when cool, and repeat several times. Tansy can also be used externally as a wash for eruptive skin problems like chicken pox.

References:

Stephen Bynes, PhD, DNT, CNC - Tansy: an Herb with a Rich History

General Herb Information

Tansy - Two varieties are discussed here: one the Common (Tanacetum vulgare) or coarse, tall plant found in field and along roadsides; the other the Fern-leaved (T. vulgare var. crispum) with rich green, more delicate foliage, fewer and larger "buttons."

Propagation: By seed, self-sows freely; by root division.

Nature of Plant: Common Tansy useful hedge for a garden if flower heads are cut off before going to seed, stalks require staking against wind and rain, unless in a protected spot; Fern-leaved Tansy not so coarse as Common and most beautiful for flower borders, grows to about 3 feet, very decorative foliage with orange "buttons" for vivid contrast.

Spacing of Mature Plants: Common about 4 feet; Fern-leaved 2 1/2 feet.

Cultural Requirements: Will adapt themselves to any soil or location not too wet; both spread rapidly into large clumps.

Uses

Both varieties have similar virtues.

Leafy Tip: (Health) Sedative, to produce perspiration, for helping support wounds; (Industrial) in cosmetics, toilet water, liniment, ointment and in Chartreuse; (Household) keeps ants away, rubbed on meat to preserve it.

Seed: (Health) disinfectant.

Root: (Household) Gives a green dye.

Tansy
Tanacetum vulgare or Chrysanthemum vulgare
(Golden Buttons; Garden Tansy: Tanacetum hortis)

Medicinal Usage

Tansy was used as a disinfectant, to aid digestion, support flatulence, support joint pain, dissolve concealed blood and promote menstruation. Externally, the herb was applied to swellings, sprains, bruises and varicose veins. Tansy tea was prescribed as a general tonic, and to help stimulate appetite, support jaundice, reduce blood pressure and strengthen the heart. Of the garden tansy Culpeper said "Let those women that desire children love this herb, it is their best companion, the husband excepted." The herb should not be taken during pregnancy. An overdose can be poisonous.

Culinary Usage

The bitter, aromatic leaves of tansy, used sparingly, were stewed with rhubarb, and added to sauces, salads, cakes, creams, omelettes, possets and custards. In medieval England they were made into tansy pancakes, traditionally eaten to mark the end of the Lenten fast; being bitter, they also served as a reminder of Christ's suffering. Tansy was also used as a substitute for spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. The leaves, wrapped around meat, were said to act as a preservative and fly-repellant.

Miscellaneous

A native of Britain, tansy was known to the Anglo-Saxons, and listed by Aelfric. The botanical name Tanacetum is derived from the Greek for 'immortality', referring to the long-lasting appearance of the flowers when dried, or to the ancient use of the plant in embalming or preserving corpses. In Greek mythology Ganymede, cup-bearer of Zeus, was made immortal by drinking the juice of tansy. During the Middle Ages the plant was a popular disinfecting herb for strewing, and an insect-repellant. As a remembrance of the bitter Passover herbs, it featured in various Easter rituals. The flowers yield a yellow-orange dye, and were added to pot-pourri.

Medicinal Usage

Tansy oil and tea have also been used to bring on the menstruation, as diaphoretics in fevers, and as a digestive tonic. Tansy has also been suggested as an abortifacient, but any internal use should be discouraged because of potential toxicity even in moderate doses.

The essential oil contains thujone, with varying amounts of borneol and camphor. Tansy also contains tanacetin - a toxic bitter principle.

General Herb Information

Tansy is a hardy perennial native to Europe and Asia and is naturalized in many parts of North America. It grows to four feet tall and has coarsely divided leaves three to five inches long. The leaves are deeply incised and toothed. The quarter-inch diameter, button-like, yellow flower heads appear from late July to September in flat clusters. Tansy has a creeping rhizome that can spread and take over a garden border if not kept in check. T. vulgare var crispum has more finely divided leaves and luxuriant foliage.

Tansy is grown from seed, or better, from spring or fall root divisions. Any piece of root with a bud will produce a new plant. Seeds can be sown indoors in early spring. Give young plants twelve to eighteen inch spacings. Plants may self-sow.

Tansy is not particular about soil as long as there is good drainage. A moist, rich soil makes for lusher growth. Tansy tolerates a pH range between 5 and 7. An acre may produce 1500 to 2000 pounds of dried leaves, but any grower would be hard-put to sell a ton of tansy leaves.

The plant is harvested and spread or hung to dry when in full bloom.

Tansy is said to be of some utility as a moth or ant repellant, but this has never been verified scientifically.

Tansy is traditionally used as a disinfectant. It also has a reputation as a carminative, antispasmodic and stimulant ingredient. It can be used to help support headaches, digestive and liver disorders, loss of appetite and externally for neuralgia, joint pain (as counter-irritant), and various skin complaints.

Tansy
Chrysanthemum vulgare (L.) Bernh. (= Tanacetum vulgare L.).

Family: Asteraceae.

Other Names: Tanaisie (French); Rainfarn (German); tanaceto (Italian); tanaceto, atanasia (Spanish).

Description: Tansy is a perennial herb (up to 1.5 m in height) with erect, mostly unbranched stems bearing compound, feathery leaves. The clusters of small, bright yellow flower heads without ray florets are characteristic.

Origin: Europe and Asia.

Parts Used: Dried flower heads (Tanaceti flos = Chrysanthemi vulgaris flos), the dried aboveground parts (Tanaceti herba) and essential oil (Tanaceti aetheroleum).



Active Ingredients: Several chemotypes of tansy exist, differing in the composition of their volatile oil (alpha-thujone, beta-thujone, camphor-type etc.). The activity is ascribed to the essential oil, which contains beta- thujone (up to 95%), together with smaller quantities of camphor and other mono- and sesquiterpenes. Also present are sterols (mainly beta-sitosterol), triterpenoids (alpha-amyrin, beta-amyrin), polysaccharides, thiophens, and sesquiterpenoid lactones of the germacranolide, eusdesmanolide and guaianolide types (crispolide, tatridin, armefolin, tanacetin, germacrene D, tanacetol A, chrysanthemin and others).

Health Effects: Tansy has proven disinfectant and choleretic activities that were confirmed in human studies. The sesquiterpene lactones may cause allergic reactions, while thujone is a known neurotoxin. The oil (and thujone) may cause abortion, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, loss of consciousness and death.

Notes: Also of interest is the pyrethrum plant, C. cinerariifolium (= Tanacetum cinerariifolium) cultivated in eastern Europe and in East Africa. The flower heads contain pyrethrins and are traditionally used against lice. Nowadays, pyrethrin-containing extracts are included in commercial and household insecticides.

Status: Traditional health; Pharm.

Preparation and Dosage: The normal daily dose is about 1 - 2 g of dry herb, taken as an infusion on an empty stomach in the morning. Tinctures are sometimes used (1 - 2 mL, three times per day).
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TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.

ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to 1-844-449-0444.

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Bianca Rosa makes all products as affordable as possible and we are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you. Bianca Rosa has been a trusted household name for many families throughout the world since the 1990s. Bianca Rosa is packed in tamper-proof, recyclable containers.

ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of all Bianca Rosa products, including creams, salves and oils in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to 1-844-449-0444.

TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.

TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.

TerraVita is packed in tamper-proof, food-grade, recyclable containers.

ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to 1-844-449-0444.
John
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To tell you the truth, I don't know if it is repelling ants or not, but I think it might be helping. Do you have any systemic solutions for treating my plants for aphids. What could I mix in the soil ? Sprays are not working. I certainly appreciate your follow-up- very professional.

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