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• C. cinerariifolium is called the Dalmatian chrysanthemum, denoting its origin in that region of the Balkans (Dalmatia
  Dalmatia
  
  Dalmatia is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, situated mostly in modern Croatia and spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the Bay of Kotor in the southeast....
  ). It looks more like the common daisy than other pyrethrums. Its flowers, typically white with a yellow center, grow from numerous fairly rigid stems. Plants have blue-green leaves and grow to between 45 to 60 cm in height. The plant is economically important as a natural source of insecticide
  Insecticide
  
  An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects in all developmental forms. They include ovicides and larvicides used against the Egg and larvae of insects respectively....
  . The flowers are pulverized and the active components called pyrethrin
  Pyrethrin
  
  The pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds that have potent insecticidal activity. Pyrethrin I and pyrethrin II are structurally related esters with a cyclopropane core....
  s, contained in the seed cases, are extracted and sold in the form of an oleoresin. This is applied as a suspension in water or oil, or as a powder. Pyrethrins attack the nervous systems of all insect
  Insect
  
  Insects are the biggest class of arthropods and the only ones with wings. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet. They are most diverse at the equator and their diversity declines toward the poles....
  s, and inhibit female mosquito
  Mosquito
  
  Mosquitoes are common flying insects in the family Culicidae that are found around the world. There are about 3,500 species. They have a pair of scaled wings, a pair of halteres, a slender body, and six long legs....
  es from biting. When not present in amounts fatal to insects, they still appear to have an insect repellent
  Insect repellent
  
  An insect repellent is a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourages insects from landing or climbing on that surface....
   effect. They are harmful to fish
  Fish
  
  A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
  , but are far less toxic to mammal
  Mammal
  
  Mammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose name is derived from their distinctive feature, mammary glands, with which they feed their young....
  s and bird
  Bird
  
  Birds are wing, Bipedalismal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay egg . There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates....
  s than many synthetic insecticides and are non-persistent, being biodegradable
  Biodegradation
  
  Biodegradation is the process by which organic compound substances are decomposition by the enzymes produced by living organisms. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management and natural environmental environmental remediation ....
   and also breaking down
  Chemical decomposition
  
  Chemical decomposition or analysis is the separation of a chemical compound into chemical element or smaller compounds. It is sometimes defined as the opposite of a chemical synthesis....
   easily on exposure to light. They are considered to be amongst the safest insecticides for use around food
  Food
  
  Food is any substance, usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water, that can be Eating or Drinking by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure....
  . Kenya
  Kenya
  
  The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Sudan to the northwest, with the Indian Ocean running along the southeast border....
   produced 90% (over 6,000 tonne
  Tonne
  
  A tonne or metric ton , also referred to as a metric tonne, is a measurement of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms, or 2204.6226 pounds....
  s) of the world's pyrethrum in 1998, called py for short. Production in Tanzania
  Tanzania
  
  Tanzania , officially the United Republic of Tanzania , is a country in East Africa that is bordered by Kenya and Uganda on the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique on the south....
   and Ecuador
  Ecuador
  
  Ecuador , officially the , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west....
   is also significant.

• C. coccineum, the Persian chrysanthemum, is native to Caucasus
  Caucasus
  
  The Caucasus or Caucas is a geopolitical region located between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It is home to Europe's highest mountain ....
   and looks somewhat like a daisy. It produces large white, pink or red flowers. The leaves resemble those of ferns, and the plant grows to between 30 and 60 cm in height. The flowering period is June to July in temperate climates (Northern hemisphere). C. coccineum also contains insecticidal pyrethrum substances but it is a poor source compared to C. cinerariifolium.

• Other species such as C. balsamita and C. marshalli also contain insecticidal substances, but are less effective than the two species mentioned above.

• Pyrethroid
  Pyrethroid
  
  A pyrethroid is a synthetic chemical compound similar to the natural chemical pyrethrins produced by the flowers of pyrethrums . Pyrethroids are common in commercial products such as household insecticides and insect repellents....
  s are synthetic insecticides based on natural pyrethrum (pyrethrin
  Pyrethrin
  
  The pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds that have potent insecticidal activity. Pyrethrin I and pyrethrin II are structurally related esters with a cyclopropane core....
  s); one common example is permethrin
  Permethrin
  
  Permethrin is a common chemical synthesis chemical, widely used as an insecticide, acaricide, and insect repellent. It belongs to the family of synthetic chemicals called pyrethroids and functions as a neurotoxin, affecting neuron cell membranes by prolonging sodium channel activation....
  . A common formulation of pyrethrin is in preparations containing the synthetic chemical piperonyl butoxide
  Piperonyl butoxide
  
  Piperonyl butoxide is a pesticide synergy. It does not, by itself have pesticidal properties. However, when added to insecticide mixtures, typically pyrethrin, pyrethroid, and carbamate insecticides, their potency is increased considerably....
  : this has the effect of enhancing the toxicity to insects and speeding the effects when compared with pyrethrins used alone. These formulations are known as synergized pyrethrins.

Companion planting

Common Names

• Pyrethrum
• Pyrethrum daisy
• Dalmatian pyrethrum
• Dalmatian chrysanthemum
• Dalmatian Insect Flower
• Dalmatian pellitory
  Pellitory
  
  Pellitory may refer to:*Anacyclus pyrethrum or pellitory, a plant containing an oil once used for toothaches and facial neuralgia*Achillea ptarmica or European pellitory, bastard pellitory, or wild pellitory...
  

• Pyrethrum
• Pyrethrum daisy
• Painted daisy
• Persian chrysanthemum
• Persian Insect Flower
• Persian pellitory
  Pellitory
  
  Pellitory may refer to:*Anacyclus pyrethrum or pellitory, a plant containing an oil once used for toothaches and facial neuralgia*Achillea ptarmica or European pellitory, bastard pellitory, or wild pellitory...
  
• Caucasian Insect Powder Plant

See also

• Chrysanthemum
  Chrysanthemum
  
  Chrysanthemums, often called 'mums', are a genus of about 30 species of perennial plant flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to Asia and northeastern Europe....
  
• List of companion plants
  List of companion plants
  
  This is a list of companion plant relationships. Many more are in list of beneficial weeds.The purpose of this list is to provide plants that assist in the growth of others, be it attracting beneficial insects, repelling harmful insects, providing nutrients or in some cases simply shade / support....
  

External links