Reliable insect repellent

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) grows abundantly in meadows and many of us see it more as a weed but that is a pity because this plant with the typical yellow-orange flowers is a very useful natural medicine. It is used to alleviate rheumatic pains and to repel mosquitoes, ticks, flies and other insects. If you decide to grow it, you will not need to take care of it much and as an additional bonus, you will get a rather attractive-looking plant.

Appearance of the plant

Tansy is a plant that you can find anywhere, providing that the climate is temperate. It can grow to a height of 1.5 m if it grows in nature, mainly in meadows, forests and in fields. It blooms in July and August and flowers produce rather intense camphor-like fragrance. Thanks to medicinal effects, both the flowers and leaves are used for medical purposes. The ideal harvest time is from July to August when the plant produces many flowers. Leaves and flowers are dried in a dark and warm place where the temperature does not exceed 35 °C.

Photo: Pixabay

Health benefits

The plant is very popular in folk medicine, where it is used to treat digestive problems but today, we no longer use the plant internally, because a certain level of toxicity has been proven. Tansy is also poisonous to cattle. In any case, the external use of the plant is still popular for example in the form of various poultices, which are applied to treat joint pain.

Insect repellent

The strong scent repels ticks, flies, mosquitoes and other insects. Just crush few flowers between your fingers and rub it on your skin. You can also make an infusion: put a handful of fresh or dried flowers in a pot and pour hot water over and let it sit for 30 minutes. When it cools down, strain it and pour it into a spray bottle and use it as a regular insect repellent: spray it all over your body. Another option is to collect flowers and put them in a glass. Fill it with vodka (or other pure alcohol), close it and let it sit for several days (shake every day). When done, strain the liquid and pour it into an atomizer. Use in the same way. This version is also used to alleviate rheumatic pains.

Fight sucking lice

The strong aroma of tansy is known to repel sucking lice. To try, you need to prepare an infusion again: take a spoon of tansy and a half spoon of thyme and put it in a glass. Pour 200 ml of boiling water in the glass. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then strain. Wash your hair with it, or rub the liquid on your skin where sucking lice is present.

Cultivation of turnips

Tansy will grow almost anywhere and it is afros t-resistant plant. You can use it as an ornamental but also useful medicine plant. You may purchase seeds in garden stores or obtain them from your plans during a late summer. Sow in early spring. You may also propagate tansy by dividing. But be careful, Tansy grows really fast, and soon you may need to control its growth. If you provide a sunny location and a well-drained soil, tansy will grow fast and strong.

Source: https://porady.interia.pl/ogrody/news-wrotycz-pospolity-zwalcza-pasozyty-odstrasza-kleszcze-i-inse,nId,4907450

Preview photo: Pixabay