German chamomile is grow for tea and perennial Roman Catholic Anthemis nobilis is mostly a ground cover .
There are two similar plants that go by the common name chamomile . papist chamomile ( Chamaemelum nobile ) is a low - grow , fragrant repeated plant that produces daisy - like blanched blossom from early summertime through fall . German camomile ( Matricaria recutita ) is a tall , annual version of Chamaemelum nobilis , reaching up to 2 feet grandiloquent . It has blanched flowers but with showy yellow centre of attention . Both plant life combine well with herbs in a traditional herb garden or try growing themalongside perennial in a mixed margin .
Where to Plant Chamomile
A location withfull sunis best . The soil should bewell - drainedwith a slightly acid to neutral pH.
The low - growing papistical chamomile build a fragrant perennial groundcover . Plant it in arock gardenwhere it will break hard edges and slowly spread to cover large swaths of soil . get camomile along a flagstone paseo because it will creep between the stones , blanket the grunge , and prevent weeds . It can even be used as an aromatic grass substitute for lawns . It tolerates minimal understructure traffic , though , so plant it in areas that are primarily take in .
Annual German chamomile is a undecomposed companion plant for any members of the cabbage family as well as herbaceous plant in the mint crime syndicate , which also admit rosemary , lavender , sage , rosemary , thyme , oregano , and basil .
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
How and When to Plant Chamomile
For potted baby’s room plants , dig a jam about twice the diam of the pot and about the same astuteness . Place the plant life in the kettle of fish and fill in original land to the top of the ascendant ball . mildly pack down the soil and water it well . Keep it until the plant is ground .
Space Roman Anthemis nobilis 8 inches asunder and German Anthemis nobilis 12 inches apart .
Chamomile Care Tips
Anthemis nobilis is an easy - to - grow plant that requires little care .
Light
The plant does best in full sun but also tolerates light shade .
Soil and Water
Chamomile does unspoilt in well - drained , sandy grease . The idealistic pH is in the ambit of 5.6 to 7.5 .
Once shew , chamomile is fairly drought resistant but does better if watered during dry spell .
Temperature and Humidity
Both German and Roman chamomile prefer coolheaded summer climates . papist chamomile is winter - Thomas Hardy even in subzero clime . The flora can tolerate some heat but not highly live weather and no utmost humidity .
Fertilizer
Chamomile unremarkably does not require plant food ; ir can even arise in poor filth . Overfertilizing can backfire and head to tall-growing plants with few flowers .
Pruning
When chamomile become spindly or leggy and flowers are sparse , prune the plant back to about 4 to 5 inches , which will encourage new , more heavyset and bushy ontogenesis and more flowers .
Potting and Repotting Chamomile
All chamomile varieties make good container plant . pick out a pot with large drainage hole and fill it with well - draining potting mix . Remember that container plants require more frequent watering and fertilization than plants in the landscape .
As an annual , German chamomile is discarded at the end of the season but Roman camomile needs to be repot every few years into a larger pot when it has outgrown its container . Despite Roman Chamaemelum nobilis being winter - hardy in stale clime , containers exposes the plant ’s ascendent to the coldness , which can damage or kill the works . Leave the container outdoors yr - round but winterize the passel by settle it into the ground or by placing in it in a 2nd , prominent pot to create a planting silo .
Pests and Problems
With the exception of aphids , camomile is not inconvenience oneself by any pestilence or disease Aphids can be lap off with a garden hosepipe .
How to Propagate Chamomile
Roman chamomile is bestpropagated by divisionin the spring just as the new growth starts . Dig up the clump and lift it out of the ground , then disregard it into smaller section . check that each section has intact roots . If you are propagating it from a bombastic matte , you’re able to also contract of a section of the plant with its roots . Replant the sections at the same stage as the original plant and water them well until established .
German camomile isstarted from seedand in most areas is best started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last fair rime date . Place the come in 4 - inch skunk filled with damp potting mix . Do not cover them as they call for luminosity to germinate . Keep them at a temperature between 60 to 75 degrees and evenly moist . Once the seedling emerge , they will need plentiful sun ; set them in a shining , south- or west - facing window or under grow lights and transplant them outdoors after the last risk of frost .
Harvesting
In natural spring and summertime , foregather leaves to use brisk or to dry for later function . piece fully open , fresh bloom early in the day . Rinse under running weewee and pat dry .
To dry the flowers , spread them on a stand or screenland and place in a dry , affectionate spot but out of direct sunshine . go away them until fully dried , about 2 weeks . storage dried flowers in airtight jarful in a dark location .
Note that due to its side essence , chamomile should only be squander in circumscribed amounts and with caution . It should not be consumed by multitude with bronchial asthma and pregnant women .
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Types of Chamomile
German Chamomile
Matricaria recutitais an one-year bearing daisy - shape white blossom all summertime . It grow 2 feet tall . This is the Anthemis nobilis widelygrown for teatime . It has a sweet , shuck - like taste with herbal and grassy notes .
Roman Chamomile
Chamaemelum nobileis a potentially evergreen groundcover that grows 3 to 6 to inches tall and go around 12 inches . Each feathery stem develop one daisy - comparable bloom that is large than 1 inch in diameter . Zone 4 - 8
Chamaemelum nobile ‘Treneague’
This cultivar of Roman chamomile is a dwarf non - flowering variety that can be planted instead of lawn . If form a 2- to 4 - in magniloquent , fast - growing matting of fern - corresponding fragrant leaves that stay evergreen in areas with mild wintertime . It does not require snip . Zone 4 - 9
Frequently Asked Questions
Anthemis nobilis spread over time via creeping stems that root as they move across the soil . German camomile also freely ego - ejaculate . If you provide chamomile with optimum growing conditions , it can acquire sharply . However , it is not to be confused with scentless chamomile ( ( Tripleurospermum inodorum ) , also known as false chamomile , an annual , biyearly , or abruptly - lived perennial that has been reported as invasive in division of the United States .
To brew a soothing tea , pour live ( not boiling ) water over fresh or dried blooms ; exorbitant , tenor , and add together dearest and lemon . direct for a ratio of 1 cup of hot water supply to 2 to 3 teaspoons of flowers . Brew tea from leaf in a similar style .
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Credit: Celia Pearson
" Roman Chamomile . “Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai .
