Difference between revisions of "Tanacetum balsamita"

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|genus=Tanacetum
 
|genus=Tanacetum
 
|species=balsamita
 
|species=balsamita
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|taxo_author=L.
 
|common_name=Alecost, Costmary
 
|common_name=Alecost, Costmary
|Min ht box=36
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|habit=herbaceous
|Min ht metric=in
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|Max ht box=36
|Min wd box=18
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|Max ht metric=in
|Min wd metric=in
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|Max wd box=18
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|Max wd metric=in
 
|lifespan=perennial
 
|lifespan=perennial
 
|exposure=sun
 
|exposure=sun
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|features=flowers
 
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer, early fall, mid fall, late fall
 
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer, early fall, mid fall, late fall
 
|flowers=white
 
|flowers=white
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|min_zone=6
 
|min_zone=6
 
|max_zone=10
 
|max_zone=10
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
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|image=Tanacetum balsamita cv.majus Kh.208 Habitus.jpg
|image=Upload.png
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|image_width=200
|image_width=240
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{Taxobox
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'''Tanacetum balsamita''' is a perennial temperate herb known as '''Costmary''', '''Alecost''' or '''Balsam herb'''.
| color = lightgreen
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| name = Costmary
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It has been grown for many centuries for its pleasant, slightly medicinal or [[balsam|balsamic]] smell. It was used in medieval times as a place marker in [[Bible|bibles]]. It is referred to by Culpeper and others as the 'Balsam Herb'. [http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/costm107.html]
| image = Balsamita major.jpg
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Leaves of the plant have been found to contain a range of [[essential oil|essential oils]].
| image_width = 240px
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| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
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==Cultivation==
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
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| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
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| ordo = [[Asterales]]
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===Propagation===
| familia = [[Asteraceae]]
 
| genus = ''[[Tanacetum]]''
 
| species = '''''T. balsamita'''''
 
| binomial = ''Tanacetum balsamita''
 
  
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
 
}}
 
  
'''Tanacetum balsamita''' is a perennial temperate herb known as '''Costmary''', '''Alecost''' or '''Balsam herb'''.
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===Pests and diseases===
  
It has been grown for many centuries for its pleasant, slightly medicinal or [[balsam|balsamic]]  smell. It was used in medieval times as a place marker in [[Bible|bibles]]. It is referred to by Culpeper and others as the 'Balsam Herb'. [http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/costm107.html]
 
Leaves of the plant have been found to contain a range of [[essential oil|essential oils]]. A Spanish study found the oil includes [[carvone]] as the main component (51.5%, 41.0% and 56.9% in three samples), together with minor amounts of beta-thujone, t-dihydrocarvone, c-dihydrocarvone, dihydrocarveol isomer c-carveol and t-carveol. It is noteworthy that levels of beta-thujone, a [[toxin|toxic]] [[ketone]], were 9.8%, 12.5% and 12.1% in the respective samples. [http://www.actahort.org/books/306/306_19.htm]
 
  
The plant is known from ancient [[Herbal|herbals]] and was widely grown in Elizabethan [[knot garden|knot gardens]].
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==Varieties==
  
[[Nicholas Culpeper]] says of Costmary [http://www.bibliomania.com/2/1/66/113/21003/1/frameset.html]
 
*''It is under the dominion of Jupiter.  The ordinary costmary, as well as maudlin, provokes urine abundantly, and softens the hardness of the mother; it gently purgeth choler and phlegm, extenuating that which is gross, and cutting that which is tough and glutinous, cleanseth that which is foul, and prevents putrefaction ; it openeth obstructions and relieves their bad effects, and it is beneficial in all sorts of dry agues.  It is astringent to the stomach, and strengtheneth the livers other viscera : and taken in whey, worketh more effectively. Taken fasting in the morning, it relieves chronic pains in the head, and to stay, dry up, and consume all their rheums or distillations from the head into the stomach, a much to digest raw humours gathered therein,  It is  profitable for those that are fallen into a continual evil disposition of the body, called cachexy, especially in beginning of the disease.    It is good for weak and cold livers. The seed is given to children for worms, and so is the infusion of flowers in white wine, about two ounces at a time. It maketh an excellent salve to heal old ulcers, being boiled with oil of olive, and adder's tongue with it; and after is strained, put in a little wax, rosin, and turpentine to make it as thick as required.''
 
  
==See also==
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==Gallery==
  
*[[Pyrethrum]]
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<gallery perrow=5>
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File:Tanacetum balsamita (Natur-species).jpg
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File:Tanacetum balsamita HRM.jpg
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File:Tanacetum balsamita cv.majus Kh.208 But.jpg
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File:Tanacetum balsamita cv.majus Kh.208 Habitus.jpg
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</gallery>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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<references/>
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<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
  
# Culpepers British Herbal - Pub. William Nicholson and Son - C. 1905 (re-print of the 1653 original)
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==External links==
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*{{wplink}}
  
[[Category:Asteraceae]]
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{{stub}}
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__NOTOC__

Latest revision as of 17:39, 18 April 2010


Tanacetum balsamita cv.majus Kh.208 Habitus.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   herbaceous

Height: 36 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 36.
Width: 18 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 18.
Lifespan: perennial
Bloom: early summer, mid summer, late summer, early fall, mid fall, late fall
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
Features: flowers
USDA Zones: 6 to 10
Flower features: white
Scientific Names

Asteraceae >

Tanacetum >

balsamita >

L. >


Tanacetum balsamita is a perennial temperate herb known as Costmary, Alecost or Balsam herb.

It has been grown for many centuries for its pleasant, slightly medicinal or balsamic smell. It was used in medieval times as a place marker in bibles. It is referred to by Culpeper and others as the 'Balsam Herb'. [1] Leaves of the plant have been found to contain a range of essential oils.

Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

Varieties

Gallery

References


External links