FEVERFEW is a biannual herb that grows very prolifically in our region – Edmonton, Alberta. Bushy, ferny even. Drought resistant, will grow well in full or diffused sun. Very hardy. 
By the end of June, you’ll get profuse amounts of compact little gorgeous daisy like flowers that are perfect for fresh bouquets in the kitchen. Don’t pick them all though because it self seeds. I always have dozens growing throughout my garden so I am in no danger (anymore) of not having some come back next year – no matter how many I cut for bouquets.
Using FEVERFEW
Feverfew leaves are used to treat migraines and lesser headaches. You simply pick the leaves and eat them in which ever way you find most suitable. They can be chopped up and put in salad or a sandwich. They have a bitter taste so best to disguise them by eating with something else. They say that a few leaves daily is sufficient as a preventative.
I got my first plants from my mother in law more than 20 years ago. She made a point to eat a few fresh leaves every day and was convinced it helped manage her migraines. That is what interested me initially in Feverfew, and I subsequently did quite a bit of reading about it over the years. I noted when I worked in a health food store that many people purchased feverfew for headaches and they swore it made all the difference. It is not a pain killer. It is a ‘preventative’. When asking many customers how it helped them, they would universally tell me that by taking a small amount every single day, their migraines were less frequent and much more manageable when they did come. That sounded pretty wonderful to me. There is also compelling evidence that feverfew is helpful for menstrual cramps.
Personally, I am not prone to headaches. Good thing, because I have a very low tolerance for them. Lucky me I haven’t had a headache in years and I have never had a migraine in my life, but I like the idea of growing an herb that has so much respect medicinally. Since I have some members of my family who are prone to migraines I decided years ago that I would always have some in my garden. If you are not able to grow your own feverfew, you can buy it in your favourite health food store, or if you grow it, but want some during the winter, dry it and either make it into a tea (with some pleasant tasting mint because it doesn’t have a great taste itself), or powder it and put into capsules to swallow. Be smart about quantity. One should do it.
The ferny bushy plant flowers pretty much all summer long! 
Because it is a biennial – meaning it grows for only two years, going to seed the second year in late summer, I allow some flowers to ‘ripen’ and go to seed. I then take the seed and sprinkle them generously throughout my flower garden and herb garden. They come up profusely and I simply pull what I don’t want. After all, a weed is only “a plant growing where it doesn’t belong“. If you don’t let the plant go to seed, or then sprinkle the seeds around, you may find yourself with none the next year as I did. A mistake I only made once.
It deserves an honoured place in my garden, and it is a pleasant bonus for me that the flowers are so pretty. I highly recommend growing feverfew in your herb or flower garden. At the very least, it will be a pretty little flower. And if you’re prone to migraines it has the potential to become your best friend.
Total Win / Win
I’d love to hear your experience with Feverfew.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle