Tansy

The tansy ( Tanacetum vulgare, syn. Chrysanthemum vulgare (L.) Bernh ), also called worm herb, a plant belonging to the daisy family is (Asteraceae). The Tansy is one of the compass plants that turn their leaves in full sunlight exactly perpendicular to the south.

Description

The Tansy is a highly proliferating, perennial herbaceous plant. It reaches a height of 60 to 130 cm. It forms a rhizome. The alternate, dark green, oblong feathered leaves smell strongly. The lower leaves are stalked, the upper sessile. The whole plant contains strong smelling essential oils ( camphor, borneol, thujone ) and bitter substances that make the setting for Tansy to a matter of taste: Some people like the smell, others feel repelled by it.

He wears June to September in bright yellow doldenrispigen total inflorescences, basket- shaped part inflorescences. Overall, the flower heads as Gülden Knöpfle or waistcoat buttons look ( these are popular names ); Children use them as play money. The smooth bracts are 4 mm long and 2 mm wide. There are no chaff leaves present. The flower heads have a diameter of 1 cm, a height of 5 to 6 mm, and contain about 100 hermaphrodite florets. The yellow tubular flowers are up to 2.3 mm long. Ray florets absent.

The smooth, fünfrippigen, about 1 mm long achenes usually have no pappus or at most a little crown shaped hem.

Ecology

The Tansy is a perennial, evergreen semi- rosette plant. In full sunlight the leaves are more or less perpendicular to the south; this behavior as a compass plant is an adaptation to the heat radiation sunny locations. The plant is rooted deep to 90 cm.

The flowers are vorweibliche, rayless "basket flowers". All flowers are hermaphrodite. Because of only 1 mm long corolla tube of nectar is easily accessible to all visitors; Therefore, the flowers are visited plenty of insects of all kinds. However, especially pollen is offered. Bloom time is from June to September.

The fruits are wind - and animal spreader; also water detention propagation is possible. Fruit ripening is from August to October.

Vegetative reproduction occurs abundantly through underground runners ( Kriechwurzler ).

The species is spurned by grazing livestock.

Occurrence

The tansy has a Eurasian distribution. He is now a neophyte in the temperate regions of the other continents. There are several species for use as an ornamental plant.

The Tansy frequently and sociable growing in perennial rich weed corridors to trails, dumps, dams, like at fire sites, even at banks ( Stromtalpflanze ), on summer-warm, not too dry, nutrient-rich, weakly basic to basic, humus-rich soils. After Ellenberg he is a light plant, sub-oceanic spreading, a freshness indicator, moderately nitrogen-rich sites and displaying a Klassencharakterart perennial nitrogen - herb communities ( Artemisietea vulgaris).

In nitrogen-rich wildland is often the tansy sagebrush scrub one over the years almost unchanged amusing stage of development in the free of human influence succession.

This plant is a cultural guides and garden refugee.

Use

Use as an aromatic plant

The strongly scented leaves and flowers of tansy, containing insect repellent active ingredients were scattered earlier to keep vermin. In colonial North America Tansy was placed in coffins and shrouds were impregnated with Rainfarnextrakt. Tansy was also planted to distribute the potato beetle. According to a study by the Colorado potato beetle infestation was reduced by 60-100 %. Dried tansy is used in beekeeping as a smoke agent.

Use in herbal medicine

In the ancient scriptures of the tansy is not to be found. The first written records found in Capitulare of Charlemagne. Tansy was formerly used in worm infestations, but call amounts greater than 1-3 grams of tansy poisoning forth, so, in the case of worm infestations relies on other, more effective and less harmful means today. Widespread was its use against vermin. A washing should expel fleas and head lice. In veterinary medicine the tea calves and cows is given in diarrhea. As a poultice Tansy to help with bruises, rheumatism and varicose veins. The foliage may cause skin irritation. Rainfarnöl is a strong poison, whose internal applications are not safe because they can lead to allergies and poisoning. A recent study shows that extracts from the tansy are able to inhibit herpes viruses in vitro. For antiviral effect, inter alia, the substances contained therein Isochlorogensäure (3,5- Dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5- DCQA )), and appear to be responsible Axillarin.

Tansy as Dye plant

The Tansy is also used as Dye plant. The flower heads of tansy result together with the mordant alum a dark yellow color. For the marinade 12 to 20 g of alum are made ​​to 100 g wool. Dark green is the color with a Alaunvorbeize, ferrous sulfate and ammonia Nachbeize developing bath. It takes about 400 grams of fresh flowers for 100 g of wool.

Tansy as allergy plant

The tansy can cause on the skin contact allergies. Triggers are sesquiterpene lactones. The main active ingredient is parthenolide into consideration, besides a number of other contact allergens such as: Crispolid, Tanacetin, Reynosin, and 1 -beta -hydroxy- arbusculin A. First of all florists and flower growers may be affected by contact allergies.

Host

The Tansy is the food plant of a number of caterpillars. In particular, can be found at Tansy Tansy caterpillars of the monk Cucullia tanaceti, the Emerald tensioner Antonechloris smaragdaria and tensioners and cutworms. The bag carrier moth Coleophora tanaceti is quite specialized in the tansy. In the stems of tansy the caterpillars of the Palpenmotte Isophrictis striatella live.

Two beetles living on the tansy, tansy - tortoise beetle Cassida stigmatica and the tansy leaf beetle Galeruca tanaceti. There is also the tansy - Soft Bug Megalocoleus tanaceti. The Tansy Beetle Shield was used together with the Palpenmotte Isophrictis striatella and the two gall midges specializing in the tansy Rhopalomyia tanaceticola and Clinorrhyncha tanaceti for the biological control of tansy in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The wasp Torymus tanaceticola parasite in the bile of tansy. Gallen on tansy also be formed by the Gallmilbe Aceria tuberculata.

The larvae of Liriomyza Minierfliegenarten tanaceti and Phytomyza tanaceti, nate the leaves of tansy.

Tansy leaf beetle Galeruca tanaceti.

Tansy - Soft Bug Megalocoleus tanaceti.

Wasp Torymus tanaceticola on tansy