Tansy (plant)

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Hoster Tully gives his daughter Lysa tansy tea.
Art by Juliana Pinho

Tansy is a flowering herb[1] that has various medical properties.

Culture

Smallfolk in the Seven Kingdoms sometimes name girls after the flower.[1]

A strong dose of tansy can cause a pregnant woman to lose her child, so it is one of the key ingredients in moon tea,[2] also called tansy tea.[3]

History

Grand Maester Orwyle, disguised as "Old Wyl", mixed potions of tansy and pennyroyal for the prostitutes from Mother's, a brothel in King's Landing, to abort unwanted children.[4]

Among the flowers picked by Chett for Bessa were tansy.[5]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

As Lord Hoster Tully lies dying, he repeats the word "Tansy" and asks for forgiveness. Catelyn Stark initially thinks her father is referring to a woman with that name, but eventually realizes[1] that Hoster is recalling the moon tea he forced his other daughter Lysa to drink to abort her child with Petyr Baelish.[2]

Brown Bernarr brings bags of tansy and other herbs during the great ranging.[6]

Behind the Scenes

Tansy is a real life natural abortifacient.[7]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 2, Catelyn I.
  2. 2.0 2.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 80, Sansa VII.
  3. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 24, Bran II.
  4. Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
  5. A Storm of Swords, Prologue.
  6. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 33, Samwell II.
  7. So Spake Martin: A Myriad of Questions, March 27, 2002