Before you decide whether you really want to grow them, you need to learn more about them. Pyrethrum daisies contain six compounds called pyrethrins that are neurotoxins and they can be quite harmful.

Pyrethrums and their pyrethrins are toxic to, among other, mammals, bees and lady bugs. Mammals....that includes you, your family and any dogs or cats that you have. You need bees for pollination if you intend to grow flowers, fruit or veggies, and lady bugs are beneficial insects that eat aphids and other small insects that harm plants. Why grow or use pyrethrums that are that dangerous?

I garden organically and choose not to use pyrethrums in any form. Just because pyrethrums are plant-based instead of being produced synthetically in a factory doesn't mean they are safe. There are other organic products, like rotenone, that I don't use either....and that one is linked to, among other things, Parkinson's Disease.

If keeping pests away from your landscape or garden was as easy as just planting some Painted Daisies, as pyrethrum daisies are commonly known, then everyone would grow them for that purpose, and everyone does not.

I've linked some info on pyrethrum daisies from Howard Garret's Dirt Doctor website and I encourage you to read what he has written. I further encourage you to read the info he links in that article because it goes into more detail about the downside to using pyrethrums.

I'm not trying to beat you over the head with a stick and scream "Don't Do It", but I am trying to encourage you strongly to think twice and weigh the potential harm versus the potential benefits and make an educated decision.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Dirt Doctor Discusses Pyrethrum Daisies

I didn't think that the Pyrethrum was very heat tolerant either???

Susan

Susan,

It might not be very heat-tolerant, but since I've never grown it, I can't say for sure.

Dawn

Thanks Dawn! I just read a small thing about them on someones blog... I was wondering why I couldn't find them anywhere... Mainly on E-bay.
I had no idea they were that dangerous! I'm so glad I'm learning so much from everyone!

Jennie

Jennie,

One of the worst misconceptions in gardening is that all natural organic products are superior to all chemical ones, and I say that as a person who gardens about 98% organically. Many natural, organic pesticides are just as dangerous as chemical ones, and I just won't use them.

It is a personal choice of mine not to use those, of course, and I would defend any gardener's "right" to use the pesticide of their choice, chemical OR organic in origin. However, when I know that an organic remedy has bad 'side effects' I mention them so that a person new to using them will at least know about possible side effects.

I love the way we all learn from one another here on the Garden Web forums. I've been gardening for several decades now (I started young, LOL) and I still learn something new every single day.

Whenever you hear about or read about a gardening practice, procedure, process or product that is new to you, it's always a good idea to check with other gardeners to see if they've tried it, if they recommend it, etc. Often you'll get widely divergent opinions and, ultimately, only you can choose the method or product that seems best to you but at least you'll know you did your research and looked at it from all sides.

Dawn

I once planted Pyrethrum dasies just for their beauty. Never used them in any way, but as Susanlynne says, not very heat tolerant in our climate. They died out in a year or two, despite being watered. Now echinacea and rudbeckia, on the other hand....well, they seed themselves all over the place and never need an ounce of care. So I don't miss the toxic daisies.

Well it's good to have one point of view. Another is that you would just put the prepared pyrethrum dust on insects you want to kill. Anything can be bad for you if mis-used. Water can kill you if it's in your lungs....