killerplants.com | Plants that Changed History | Archives Most Recent | Free Newsletter Signup

How did a daisy stop epidemics?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

November 12, 2002

Series: | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 |

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Killer Savings Nursery Links: Click here.

Killer Picks: Rudbeckia, Crazy Daisy, Painted Daisies, Cushion Mums, & more—>Click here.

Confucius in the sixth century BCE mentioned ornamental mums, considered second of China's 'Four Most Graceful Plants'. Besides adorning gardens, mums found their way into cuisine, tea, and art. By the first century CE, the Chinese discovered the first botanical insecticide from the flowers of at least one species of mum. (Timetables of Science, A. Hellemans and B. Bunch, Touchstone, 1988)

Pyola® Insect Spray – Canola oil with pyrethrins-an insecticide from plants for plants

Signature Product Pyola is a broad-spectrum spray that combines pyrethrin, a long-popular insecticide derived from chrysanthemum flowers, with canola oil extracted from rapeseed. Unlike most pesticides, it controls all stages of a pest insect's life cycle, including eggs. Click here - $20 FREE off your first order at Gardens Alive! [ More Insect Pest Control! ]

Pyrethrum is the whole inflorescence (daisy-like 'flowers'), dried and powdered, of several species in the Asteraceae. Pyrethrins are the active chemicals manufactured in the plants. Today, most pyrethrum and extracted pyrethrins come from the Dalmatian Insect flower (Tanacetum cinerariifolium ((Trevir.) Vis.) Schultz-Bip.) grown in Kenya. Although, most authorities give the nativity of the Dalmatian Insect flower as Yugoslavia, there is conjecture the plant or its seeds originally came from China along the Silk Road and naturalized on the Dalmatian Coast.

John Gerard (1597) knew this plant as the 'Pellitory of Spain'. He never mentions any use as an insecticide. If only it had been used as a strewing herb to reduce flea infestations, it may have reduced or even halted the cyclic rounds of the bubonic plague.

Persian louse powder was the first pyrethrum product of the modern era. Produced from the flowers of the Persian or painted daisy (Tanacetum coccineum (Willd.) Grierson), these plants were grown in the Caucasus region of Asia. Persian louse powder became available in Europe around 1800 and it or a similar product was imported to North America about 1858.

The use of pyrethrum-based louse powder greatly reduced epidemics of typhus. Typhus caused by Rickettsia prowazeki is spread human to human by lice. During times of war or famine, typhus probably killed as many or more people than either the combat or starvation.

Anne Sjöström has posted photographs of painted daisies from her garden. To view the painted daisies, click on the link:

http://www.saunalahti.fi/sjostrom/perenna/tanacetum.html

Series: | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 |

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

Springhill Nursery®

Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Rudbeckia, 'Summer Magic Mix'

Springhill Nursery®

Warm up late season borders, pots and bouquets with this sunny mix! Carefree plants bear a parade of golden-yellow, red and bronze daisy like flowers from mid-summer to frost. Rudbeckia 'Summer Magic Mix' grow to 24" tall with a 12-18" spread.

Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid.

Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Colors', R hirta 'Goldilocks'

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Special blend of two cultivars to provide a harmonious color parade. Golden yellow, red, bronze and browns each with a dark velvety center the perfect color combination for a perennial border or naturalized in a meadow or light shaded woodland area.

Click here for more Mums - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
Click here for more Perennials - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Crazy Daisy

Springhill Nursery®

A delightful form of the ever-popular Shasta daisy. Produces a myriad of large, white flowers with petals that are quilled and feathery, giving a frilly look to the blooms. Compact, long-lived Crazy Daisies bloom for several weeks in summer, making them indispensable for borders. Long-lasting in bouquets. Grows 24-28" tall. Plant 18-24" apart.

Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid.

Leucanthemum x superbum 'Crazy Daisy'

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

A delightful variety of Shasta Daisy bred in Germany. It produces a myriad of unique, large white daisy flowers that have petals that are quilled and feathery. This gives a wonderfully frilled look to the blooms. A strong, long lived perennial that requires little care and will provide masses of flowers during the summer. It is a compact grower that fits into a border perfectly and makes an ideal long lasting cut flower. Indispensable for its long display.

Click here for more Mums - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
Click here for more Perennials - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Bold Painted Daisies

Springhill Nursery®

Perfectly formed sunbursts in brilliant shades of red, pink, or white perk up gardens from early to midsummer. A mixture of dazzling blooms with gold centers atop 12-36" stems.

Plant 12-18" apart. Bold Painted Daisies come in mixed colors.

#1 field-grown plant.

Chrysanthemum coccineum

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Cheerful, perfectly formed daisy flowers are an excellent addition to cut flower bouquets. Beautiful single Daisy blooms accentuated by finely cut, fernlike leaves, 3" or longer.

Click here for more Mums - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
Click here for more Perennials - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Little Miss Muffet Daisy

Springhill Nursery®

Dainty white and yellow flowers are a perennial favorite.

Easy-to-grow 12-18" tall plants bloom late spring to early summer. Space 12-18" apart for Little Miss Muffet Daisy.

#1 Field-Grown Plant. Zone 4 to 9

Chrysanthemum maximum nanum 'Silver Princess'

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Old time favorite, white with yellow button center daisy. Easy to grow. Must have for every landscape.

Click here for more Mums - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
Click here for more Perennials - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Copper Cushion Mums

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Over 100 Flowers per Plant – Most prolific perennial ever developed--over 100 blossoms its first year! Forms 12- to 15-inch mound of flowers August to Frost. Long-lasting choice for arrangements, too. Widely adapted and a snap to grow all across the country. Best in full sun, well-drained soil. Potted plants. Zone 4 to 10 Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

[More Mums...] [More Perennials...]