Grow Chamomile In Your Garden — But First, Decide Which Kind
You may know of chamomile as a calming tea or an ingredient in beauty products, but it’s also a sturdy perennial that makes a charming addition to your garden. With delicate foliage and sunny-faced little daisy-like flowers, chamomile can be grown in flower beds, herb gardens, and even within your lawn.
While Roman chamomile also can be used as a lawn alternative, it doesn’t withstand foot traffic well, even after it’s well-established. It also tends to get a little messy-looking if you prefer a neat and tidy lawn, and you’ll need to weed it frequently. It also spreads unevenly so it may not form as dense a patch as other lawn alternatives, such as creeping thyme or Irish moss.
Chamomile also doesn’t survive wet or cold winters particularly well and can appear patchy in the spring, leading to the incursion of many different types of weeds. For these reasons, it’s usually best to enjoy Roman chamomile as an accent or border plant because it is difficult to maintain as a lawn.
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Chamomile Flower Basic Info:
Common Name: Roman chamomile, English chamomile
Botanical Name: Chamaemelum nobile
Plant Family: Asteraceae
Type of Plant: Perennial, USDA zones 4 to 9
Native Origin: Europe, India, and Asia
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Mature Size: 6 to 12 inches tall and wide
Toxic to pets: Yes
How to Plant and Care for Chamomile
Roman chamomile doesn’t require much maintenance, so it’s a good addition to low-traffic areas of your garden, in pots, or planting beds.
