Tansy

About a month ago I posted about the toxic weed, Tansy Ragwort. In this current post, we are looking at the related, Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), also known as Common Tansy, Bitter Buttons, Cow Bitter, Mugwort, or Golden Buttons.

Both Tansy and Tansy Ragwort are in the Sunflower (Asteraceae) family, and the leaves are similar looking. However, the flowers are strikingly different. Tansy flowers have no petals, just bright yellow discs that almost look artificial!

Tansy has a scent, especially when crushed, which is similar to that of camphor with hints of rosemary. The leaves and flowers are toxic if consumed in large quantities; the volatile oil contains toxic compounds including thujone, which can cause convulsions and liver and brain damage.

There are hundreds of Tansy plants blooming now at Rooster Rock State Park, in the Columbia River Gorge (7/23/2013).