Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a common perennial herb recognized by its dense clusters of button-like yellow flowers. Native to temperate regions of Europe and Asia, this plant possesses a symbolic history marked by profound contradiction. Its meanings have split across millennia, establishing a duality that links it to both the ideals of permanence and the sharpest warnings of danger. Historically, cultures viewed the plant as a shield against decay and a reminder of sorrow, embodying opposing forces like eternal youth and bitter retribution.
Physical Characteristics Informing Meaning
The plant’s intense physical properties drove its disparate symbolic interpretations. Tansy’s vibrant golden-yellow, button-like flowers led to common names like “golden buttons.” This sun-like coloration associated the herb with warmth, health, and precious value in early folklore. A highly pungent, camphor-like aroma emanates from the leaves and flowers, persisting even when dried. This enduring fragrance was the basis for its widespread use as a strewing herb, laid on floors to ward off insects and purify the air. Conversely, the herb contains the toxic compound thujone, responsible for its intensely bitter taste, which provided the foundation for its cautionary symbolism.
Symbolism of Immortality and Endurance
One of the oldest associations with tansy is the concept of deathlessness, potentially derived from its Greek name, Athanaton. This meaning was reinforced by the plant’s resilience and ability to thrive in harsh conditions, suggesting enduring vitality. The herb’s strong preservative qualities were historically leveraged to preserve physical matter, linking it directly to permanence. Tansy was famously used as an embalming agent, inserted into burial shrouds and coffins to repel worms and deter corruption. This practice transferred the plant’s physical endurance into a symbol of eternal life and spiritual resurrection. During the medieval period, “Tansies”—puddings or cakes flavored with the herb—were traditionally eaten on Easter Day, marking the end of the Lenten fast and connecting the plant to overcoming death.
The Cautionary Meaning of Bitterness and Warning
Despite its positive associations, the plant’s acrid flavor and inherent toxicity anchored its symbolism in sorrow and caution. The intensely bitter taste was intentionally used in Easter cakes to recall the bitter herbs eaten during the Jewish Passover, symbolizing repentance and worldly suffering. This culinary tradition linked the herb to a necessary bitterness, reminding people of pain or sacrifice. Because of its thujone content, tansy was viewed as a dangerous agent that could bring harm if consumed improperly. This potential for danger translated into the Victorian language of flowers, or floriography, where tansy conveyed messages of “hostile thoughts,” “resistance,” or “I declare against you.” The durability that suggested immortality also warned of enduring vengeance or lasting negative emotion.
Cultural and Folklore Origins of the Duality
The simultaneous existence of these contradictory meanings stems from specific historical events and mythological narratives. The positive symbolism of immortality is traceable to Greek mythology, where Zeus gifted tansy to the shepherd Ganymede to grant him eternal youth and make him the immortal cup-bearer of the gods. This myth established the herb’s connection to the divine promise of unending life. The protective aspect was cemented by its practical use as a strewing herb, guarding against pestilence and evil spirits in homes and religious spaces. However, the plant’s use in burial rites, such as filling the coffin of Harvard’s first president, Henry Dunster, created an association with the realm of the dead. This dual usage—for preservation and protection in life, and as a component of death rituals—solidified its reputation as a plant of profoundly split symbolic identity.