Feverfew

Scientific name: Tanacetum parthenium

INTRODUCTION

A member of the daisy family, feverfew is a small, bushy flowering plant known for its medicinal properties. The flowers consist of yellow disc florets in the center and white petals around the disc, while each leaf is made of several leaflets and resembles parsley. Although Tanacetum parthenium is not particularly eye-catching or showy, it has been around for centuries, and stories of its usage as treatment extend back to the classical Greek era!

USES

Over the centuries, feverfew has been used to treat not only fever, but also headaches, arthritis, migraines, inflammation, insect bites, and more. Compounds in the plant, specifically parthenolide, have been tested in labs for their properties, and human studies have produced mixed results regarding feverfew’s true efficacy against migraine. Nevertheless, there are many potential health benefits from consuming suitable amounts of this plant, and feverfew has even been dubbed “medieval aspirin.”