HOW ABOUT HERBS 



muscle cells less responsive to 

 body chemicals that trigger mi- 

 graine muscle spasms {Rodale's \Uus- 

 trated Encyclopedia of Herbs, 1987). 



Varro Tyler, Ph.D., well-known 

 professor of pharmacognosy, Purdue 

 University School to Pharmacy, sug- 

 gests that "if you take feverfew by 

 eating the leaves, it should be in 

 very small doses — from 50-bO milli- 

 grams, which is three or four little 

 feverfew leaves each day." In his 

 book, The Honest Herbal, updated in 

 1993, he writes that long-term toxic- 

 ity tests are urgently needed to es- 

 tablish the herb's safety. Old-time 

 herbals suggest putting the herb 

 leaves in food or tucking them into 

 tiny bread-and-butter sandwiches, 

 as contact between the mouth and 

 the herb can cause small sores, 

 should a person be sensitive to it. 

 Today, a number of capsules and 

 tablets that contain feverfew are 

 available. 



The plant is about two feet tall. 



is hardy to zone 5, and has deeply 

 cut leaves and clusters of small 

 daisy-like flowers. It will grow any- 

 where and readily reseeds. 



Ordinary well-drained soil and 

 full sunshine are its basic require- 

 ments, although I am certain that it 

 can take some shade. Propagation 

 is easiest by seed, but several vari- 

 eties (including a double-flowered 

 that is popular for perennial bor- 

 ders) should be grown by divisions 

 or cuttings. I believe the pant is polli- 

 nated by wind or is self-pollinating, 

 for there is mention in Rodale's that 

 bees hate the smell of feverfew and 

 that it shouldn't be planted near 

 plants needing such pollination. 



Feverfew is an excellent, easy-to- 

 maintain ornamental that flowers 

 again and again throughout the 

 summer. Cut it back as the blos- 

 soms go by and you encourage 

 more flower clusters. Lovely in 

 fresh bouquets, it also works well 

 in dried wreaths and arrangements. 



Mordanted with chrome, the fresh 

 leaves and stems produce a green- 

 ish dye for wool An ingredient 

 thought to be present in feverfew is 

 pyrethrin — which would explain its 

 old-time use as an insect repellent 

 (a tea of feverfew flowers applied 

 to the skin), ludith Benn Hurley, 

 author of The Good Herb, suggests 

 planting feverfew around basil to 

 keep insects away — which would be 

 fine as you really don't want your 

 basil to be pollinated and to set 

 seed while you are eager for a har- 

 vest of leaves. 



As interest in alternative medi- 

 cine continues to grow, there will 

 undoubtedly be many more scien- 

 tific studies of feverfew. But even if 

 you're not among the millions of 

 migraine suffers waiting for a cure, 

 introduce your customers to fever- 

 few for its simple, natural beauty. 



Tanya ]ackson, a well-known local herb- 

 alist, can be reached at 603-431-801 1. 



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