PlantPeers
Back to Catalog
No image available
Asteraceae FAMILY

Anacyclus pyrethrum

Anacyclus pyrethrum

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

Although the plant has a long history of herbal use, it contains alkaloids that, when isolated, are powerful insecticides and can be harmful to mammals[1]. Skin contact with the plant can cause dermatitis in some individuals[2].

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
Growth—

Anacyclus pyrethrum is hardy to at least -5°c, probably more if the ground is very well-drained[3]. Requires a well-drained soil in full sun[3]. Plants are intolerant of excessive wet, especially in the winter, and will do better if covered by a pane of glass in the winter[3]. The plant is a short-lived perennial in the wild, usually living for 2 - 5 years, though it lives longer in cultivation[1].

Propagation

Seed - requires about 3 weeks cold stratification. Germination is best at a temperature around 13 - 16°c[4]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer[3]. Cuttings of softwood in the spring[3, 4]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Anacyclus+pyrethrum>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Botany Vol. 7 — British Museum; London · 1979 ↩︎A botanical journal, this volume contains a very detailed revision of the genus Anacyclus
  2. [2]A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa — IUCN; Malaga, Spain · 2005 · ISBN 2-8317-0893-1 ↩︎A guide to over 100 species of medicinal herbs in N. Africa.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  5. [5]The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants — Chevallier. A. · Dorling Kindersley. London · 1996 · ISBN 9-780751-303148 ↩︎An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.