General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers moist, humusy soils with good drainage. Soils must not be allowed to dry out. May be short-lived (sometimes considered to be a biennial), but will usually remain in the garden through self-seeding which can border on the invasive in optimum growing conditions. Shear off spent flowers immediately after bloom in order to control any unwanted self-seeding. This cultivar is sometimes sold in flats for growing as an annual.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew) is a weedy perennial that is native to Europe, but has escaped gardens and naturalized along roadsides, waste areas and wood margins throughout much of North America. 'Aureum', commonly called golden feverfew or golden feather, is a mounded, clump-forming, dwarf cultivar which typically grows only 8-12" tall and features small daisy-like flowers and chartreuse aromatic foliage. Composite flowers with white petals and button-like yellow center disks appear in dense corymbs over a long summer bloom. Pinnately lobed leaves emerge chartreuse but turn mostly green by mid-summer. Foliage has a feathery, fern-like appearance and is pungently fragrant when bruised or crushed. Synonymous with and formerly known as Chrysanthemum parthenium 'Aureum'. The cultivar 'Aureum Nanum' is sometimes sold as a plant that is identical to the within plant except smaller in size, however not all authorities agree that separate cultivar status is warranted. Species plants have been used in the past in the treatment of a variety of medical problems including toothache, arthritis, headaches and, of course, fever.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Spider mites can be a problem in some areas. This cultivar tends to burn out in hot and humid summers, particularly in the deep South.

Uses:

Naturalized areas or cottage gardens where it can be allowed to freely self-seed. May be used in border fronts or rock gardens as long as spent flowers are promptly deadheaded. Edger or bedding plant.

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