Feverfew

Questions about feverfew

Does feverfew need sun or shade?

Feverfew grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does feverfew grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does feverfew flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to mid August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should feverfew be planted?

16 in (40 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is about its full width, so each plant keeps its own outline.

It grows 20 in (50 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many feverfew plants do I need?

At 16 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 7 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 8 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 21 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one at a time, threaded between sturdier plants.

In the bed above, the planner used three in three groups.

Is feverfew poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. Can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in pets if eaten. Handling the plant can irritate skin.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like feverfew?

These come closest to doing what feverfew does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Nepal cinquefoil 'Miss Willmott': the same job in a bed and the same flowering time; belongs at the front, not in the middle, 4 in shorter.
• Sea lavender: the same job in a bed; 4 in taller, flowers mid July to late August.
• Rose campion: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 10 in taller, flowers early June to late July.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat feverfew?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will feverfew spread?

It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Short-lived, but keeps going by self-seeding. Thin or move seedlings where they are not wanted.

What flowers after feverfew?

Feverfew is over by mid August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall.
• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• Sedum 'Autumn Joy': from mid August to mid October, 24 in tall.

What does feverfew look like in winter?

Feverfew holds some of its leaves into winter, more in a mild year or a sheltered spot, and they look tired by March. Cut the old ones off as new growth starts.

Is feverfew good for bees and butterflies?

Feverfew is visited by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.