Jangchub wrote:

Regardless, Janet. The pesticide pyrethrum comes from the flower not
the foliage and smell has absolutely nothing to do with its
insecticidal properties in that it kills insects indiscriminately.
Kill is kill. I don't kill knowingly. And no, I don't eat meat
either.

The plants themselves don't "kill", only a concentrated extract does.
The plants make themselves unattractive to insects by producing it. I
have feverfew in my garden and it has similar properties, it is fun to
see bees bend their flight path to stay away from its flowers.

Paulo