How to Grow Feverfew
Feverfew At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -23°C
Plant Family
Asteraceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Feverfew handles frost, so sow it about 1 week before your last spring frost. Press the tiny seeds onto the soil surface without covering them, since they need light to sprout, and keep the surface damp. They sprout in 10 to 14 days: thin them (pull the extras so each has room) to 30 cm apart.
Feverfew is a short-lived perennial with masses of small white daisies, and it drops so much seed that new plants pop up every year. Once you have it, you will rarely need to sow it again, so pull extra seedlings in spring if it spreads too far.
When To Start
Feverfew needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Feverfew?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Feverfew Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Feverfew Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow feverfew outdoors on the soil surface, do not cover
1 week before your last frost
Optional: start feverfew indoors on the soil surface
6 weeks before your last frost· optional
Pick feverfew leaves and flowers to dry
About 90 days after you plant it
Did you water your feverfew seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Hi there! Your feverfew likes full sun and soil that drains well, so go easy on the water.
About 44 days after you plant it
Looking good! Snip off faded flowers to keep new ones coming.
About 74 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your feverfew.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Feverfew's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
0.1 cm
Seeding Depth
30 cm
Plant Spacing
45 cm
Row Spacing
1
Plants / Sq Ft
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow feverfew in full sun, or part shade in hot areas.
- 2Plain soil that drains well is fine, with just a little compost mixed in at planting.
- 3Water seedlings until they settle in, then only in long dry spells, since grown plants handle drought.
- 4It needs no feeding, and too much food makes floppy plants.
- 5Cut off most flowers once they fade to stop it seeding everywhere, and leave a few if you want new plants next year.
- 6Feverfew is toxic to cats and dogs, so keep chewing pets away.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~90
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
40 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Pick leaves and flowers in summer; flowers at full bloom
How to Harvest
- 1Pick leaves any time from early summer, once the plant is well grown.
- 2For flowers, cut the stems when most of the flowers are fully open.
- 3Tie small bunches and hang them upside down in a dark, airy spot for 1 to 2 weeks to dry.
- 4Strip the dry leaves and flowers off the stems and keep them in a sealed jar away from light.
- 5The leaves are very bitter and are traditionally used in small amounts, but do not use feverfew if you are pregnant.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Plants of the same variety come true from seed, but different feverfew varieties grown together can cross. It reseeds so well that you may never need to save any. Leave a few flowers on the plant until the centres turn brown and dry, then snip the heads into a paper bag. Crumble them between your fingers to free the tiny seeds, and let them dry for another week. Store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they keep for a few years.
Seed Production
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