Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a traditional herb recognized for its small, daisy-like flowers and aromatic foliage. Companion planting involves growing different plants together to foster mutual benefits, such as enhanced growth, pest deterrence, or improved soil health. Integrating feverfew into a garden can offer several advantages through these synergistic relationships.
Benefits of Feverfew in Companion Planting
Feverfew offers advantages in companion planting due to its aromatic properties. Its foliage emits a lemony scent that deters common garden pests like aphids, whiteflies, thrips, moths, and mosquitoes. Feverfew also produces pyrethrin, which can discourage pests such as roaches and ants.
Beyond deterring pests, feverfew attracts beneficial predatory insects. Its small, accessible flowers appeal to hoverflies and tachinid flies, whose larvae are voracious predators of aphids and other soft-bodied pests. These beneficial insects help maintain a natural balance, contributing to a healthier garden ecosystem.
Ideal Companion Plants for Feverfew
Feverfew’s pest-repelling qualities make it a suitable companion for many garden plants targeted by common pests. Vegetables like brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) benefit from feverfew deterring pests such as cabbage worms and aphids. Tomatoes also gain protection when planted nearby.
Ornamental plants, particularly roses, benefit from feverfew repelling aphids. Its white blooms offer a pleasing visual contrast to roses. Delphiniums, often susceptible to aphid infestations, experience reduced pest pressure with nearby feverfew. Feverfew also pairs well with other insect-deterring perennial herbs like mint and thyme, creating a combined protective barrier.
Plants to Avoid When Companion Planting with Feverfew
While feverfew offers many benefits, its strong properties require careful consideration. Its strong, citrusy scent repels insects, including bees. Therefore, keep feverfew away from plants that rely heavily on bee pollination for fruit or seed production.
Feverfew’s potent aroma and potential for allelopathy (releasing chemicals that inhibit other plants’ growth) suggest caution. While specific allelopathic impacts are not widely documented, observation is advised, as it may not be ideal for all plants requiring active pollination or those sensitive to strong aromatic compounds.
Strategic Placement and Management of Feverfew
Strategic placement optimizes feverfew’s companion planting benefits. Planting it around garden bed perimeters or among susceptible plants creates a protective barrier against pests. For instance, placing it near brassicas or roses can reduce aphid and cabbage worm populations. Feverfew prefers full sun (six to eight hours daily) but tolerates partial shade in hotter climates.
Managing feverfew’s growth is important, as it readily self-seeds and can spread. To prevent dominance, deadhead spent blossoms before they go to seed; this also encourages further blooming. Space plants 8-12 inches apart for proper air circulation and growth. Its compact size (1-2 feet in height and spread) makes it suitable for container gardening or as a border plant.