Introduction to Chamomile

→ Chamomile definition:
‍Chamomile usually refers to the annual medicinal herb German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita).
Chamomile can also refer to Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis), a perennial herb that makes an excellent ground cover.
Today, most people are familiar with chamomile tea.

German Chamomile is one of the easiest annual herbs to grow in the garden. With its plethora of benefits to wildlife and humans alike, it’s one that I always recommend beginner gardeners grow. In my experience, there’s nothing that can compare to brewing a cup of freshly harvested chamomile tea!

German chamomile has rightfully been a staple herb in various cultures for millennia.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• Chamomile Plant Overview
• How to grow chamomile from seed
• How to harvest and dry chamomile
• Chamomile as a companion plant
• Roman vs German Chamomile (varieties information)
• Ways to work with chamomile as an herb

How to Grow Chamomile From Seed

→ To grow chamomile from seed, it is best to direct sow it in your garden around a week after your last frost. Chamomile seeds benefit from light to assist in germination.

Simply press the seeds into the soil but do not cover them.

In my experience chamomile isn't bothered by close spacing but individual plants will grow much bigger if they have space.

Chamomile from seed: a step-by-step guide

1. Surface Sow Chamomile Seeds

I recommend surface sowing German Chamomile directly in the garden if you are hoping to grow a lot of it to harvest for tea. It will be a lot easier to lightly scatter the seeds over a designated area in the garden, since the seeds are extremely small.

Of course, you can also start chamomile plants indoors. As with growing this herb outside, be sure to surface sow the seeds and expose them to ample light to assist with germination. Surface sow 2 seeds, if you can pick them out, per seed cell.

In both cases, water the seeds and keep soil lightly moist until germination.

2. Chamomile Germination Time

German Chamomile germinates for me within a week to ten days. Roman Chamomile may take a little longer.

3. Chamomile growing zones and ideal conditions

German Chamomile will grow as an annual in most zones.

If you live in zones 3 and under, you will want to start your chamomile seeds indoors about a month or two before your last frost date. Transplant the seedlings into the garden after your final frost. This will give you a head start and ensure that you get to harvest the flowers before your first frost comes in the autumn.

Roman Chamomile is hardy to zone 4, and enjoys spacing of around 8 inches between plants. If you are growing Roman Chamomile as a ground cover or lawn, closer spacing works well for producing shorter plants.

Both types of chamomile benefit from lots of sunshine and drainage in the garden.

In my dry summer climate, I water chamomile twice a week if there has been no rain.

Mulch around your established chamomile plants with weed-free grass clippings or organic straw mulch to prevent water evaporation and weed competition.

4. Chamomile Time to Maturity

When I sow German Chamomile in mid April, I'm able to harvest the flowers in early July. Frequent harvests keep the plant in production, so you can really maximize your yield by gathering blooms a few times a week.

Roman Chamomile can bloom in its first year, but don't worry if you don't get flowers that soon. It will continue to grow and bloom in subsequent years.

Harvesting and Processing: Enjoy Chamomile's Gifts

When to harvest chamomile flowers for optimal potency

Chamomile flowers are ready to harvest once they have just opened. I find that they are more fragrant and fresh during this time, in contrast to flowers that have been open and in the heat for a week or more.

To keep the flowers as potent as possible, I harvest from my chamomile patch every other day. It is best to harvest the flowers when they are dry. I like to harvest them in the mid-morning, after any dew has evaporated.

Dry and store chamomile for longevity

As soon as possible after harvest, I bring the chamomile flowers inside and spread them out on a drying rack like this one. I spread them in a single layer so that there is ample air flow.

There's always some yellow dust under my herb dryer from the chamomile, but I don't mind it too much. If you don't want your other herbs on the drying rack tiers getting chamomile on them, place your chamomile flowers on the bottom compartment.

The air is usually quite dry during my summers, so the chamomile blooms are ready to be stored in dry glass jars after two weeks. If you hang your herb drying rack over a wood stove that is being lit, the flowers will dry faster. If you have cold, wet, or humid conditions, your chamomile may take longer to dry fully.

I love storing chamomile in jars like this, but also use pint sized mason jars to store the harvest.

Various uses: Chamomile Tea, Chamomile Bitters, Chamomile Milk Tea, and Chamomile Foot Soak

Warning: According to NCCIH.gov, chamomile products can cause an allergic reaction in anyone who is allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies. This reaction can be serious and life threatening, even if you just come into contact with chamomile. Do not grow, ingest, or apply chamomile products to your skin if you are allergic to these related plants.

Chamomile flowers have a plethora of medicinal properties, and so they are often made into various herbal products and remedies. The sweet taste of chamomile livens up tisanes, and the earthy apple fragrance adds depth to lotions and salves.

Here are a few ways that I like to work with chamomile flowers:

1. Standard Chamomile Tea
Technically a chamomile tisane or infusion, this beverage may be the most common way that people experience chamomile's taste. For the sweetest flavor, pour almost-boiling water over 2-3 tablespoons of dried flowers for a 16 oz. beverage. Let the flowers steep for 5-7 minutes, and then strain before enjoying.

2. Slightly Bitter Chamomile Tea

While chamomile is known for its sweetness, it also can turn bitter if brewed for along period in time. In herbalism, bitterness is actually sometimes called for to stimulate digestion (think of post-meal bitters). In fact, chamomile used to be added to beer for its bitter taste prior to the introduction of hops.

To achieve a mild bitter effect with your chamomile tea, let the flowers steep for 25 minutes - 2 hours, or even overnight. The bitter taste will increase along with brewing time. I learned about working with the bitter components of chamomile from the Community Herbalist Training program at CommonWealth Holistic Herbalism.

3. Chamomile Milk Tea

To make Chamomile Milk Tea, place a mug full of your milk of choice into a saucepan. Add in 2-3 tablespoons of dried chamomile flowers. Place the saucepan on the stove on medium-low heat. Just as the milk comes to a simmer, turn off the heat and cover with a lid for 8-10 minutes. I like to reheat the milk quickly before straining the chamomile out and enjoying the remaining milk in a mug.

This soothing beverage is a great before-bed drink.

4. Chamomile foot soak

I'm not a big fan of baths, but I really love a good foot soak. Chamomile flowers are something I always add to my foot soaks. In the winter time, sitting with a foot soak on the couch in front of the wood stove with a book is my definition of self care.

To make a chamomile foot soak, bring 32-48 oz. of water to a boil. In a french press, add in 4+ tablespoons of chamomile flowers. Once the water has reached a boil, pour over the herbs in the french press and let steep for 15-20 minutes.

While you're waiting, prepare a basin and a towel. Place the towel on the floor to protect it from water splashing, and then place the basin on top. You want a basin made from something that can tolerate heat. I honestly usually use a pyrex casserole dish. 😊 Add a few chamomile flowers to the basin if you wish.

Once the chamomile infusion is cool enough for skin contact, pour it into the basin. Then carefully test the temperature again before placing your feet in the soak. Enjoy the warmth and fragrance.

Every year I seem to get some foot issues due to wearing boots in wet weather without socks. A daily foot soak of chamomile flowers and rosemary lend anti-fungal and antibacterial help to my feet before things get out of hand.

Create a Chamomile Lawn: Ground Cover and Aesthetics

Roman Chamomile, with its lovely fragrance and perennial growing habit, makes for a perfect lawn alternative. According to the New York Botanical Garden, chamomile lawns have been sown since Elizabethan times!

Pollinator patches and wildflower meadows are becoming more popular now due to environmental awareness. Pick up an old tradition and provide habitat to beneficial insects and other critters.

NYBG notes that Roman Chamomile lawns work best in growing zones 4-9 in areas that do not have periods of drought. A chamomile lawn will do best in sunny spots of your yard.

Chamomile Companion Plants: Enhancing Your Herbal Ecosystem

Chamomile attracts beneficial insects

Chamomile is a popular companion plant option, especially since it needs little resources to grow.

The major reason why chamomile is seen as a companion plant is its ability to attract beneficial insects that will keep pest populations at bay. For example, this study from 2007 notes that plantings of chamomile around peas brought in 10 species of beneficial insects and reduced aphid populations.

If you have an issue with aphids in the garden, try planting some Roman Chamomile. According to OSU, Roman Chamomile attracts ladybugs. Lady bugs will feast on aphids in your garden.

Another source from OSU mentions that chamomile is attractive to hoverflies and predatory wasps. In fact, chamomile is often mentioned as a companion plant for brassicas, since the cabbage moth catterpillar is eaten by hoverflies.

Chamomile also brings in tachinid flies, who will in turn munch on potato beetle, cucumber beetle, and other pests (NGC).

Other benefits of chamomile for regenerative gardeners

German Chamomile extracts in the garden reduce disease

A study from 2021 showed that an extract of German Chamomile reduced Pythium infections in bean plants.

A literature review published in the Journal of Fungi notes that German Chamomile extract can be used as a foliar spray to prevent damping off disease in seedlings. The high sulfur levels in chamomile tea act as an anti-fungal and kill off the harmful microbes.

This experiment clarifies that an extract of chamomile flowers benefits seed germination in wheat crops, while leaves and roots of chamomile inhibit germination. This property of the leaves is useful, however - see the next study!

Chamomile extracts reduce weed germination

In one study, an extract of chamomile shoots reduced flixweed growth in wheat fields. While further research needs to be done, there is promise in chamomile as an alternative to synthetic herbicide treatment.

Chamomile in Biodynamic Preparations

In biodynamic farming, chamomile is often made into a composted material of sorts to support crop growth. Steiner recommends adding a chamomile preparation to compost to increase nutrient availability, help plant growth, and "calm the chaos within the compost," according to Biodynamic Trainee.

A biodynamic wine grape grower, Monty Waldin, speaks to the specifics of the Biodynamic Chamomile Preparation for grapes. In this application, it helps to soothe the plants from heat stress experienced in the summer. The sulfur content in the chamomile helps prevent fungal growth on the grapes, and the calcium and potassium in the plant promotes healing in the plant.

‍Chamomile in Compost Tea

Chamomile is a popular herb to place into compost tea mixtures. Gardener's Supply sells this compost tea garden supplement with cow manure and herbs, including chamomile. This biodynamic compost tea is said to "nourish and protect plants" and "improve plants' disease resistance." Another example is this Compost Tea preparation by Down to Earth.

Chamomile scientific name and classifications

German Chamomile scientific name and meaning

German Chamomile’s scientific name is Matricaria recutita. You may also see it referred to as Matricaria chamomilla or Chamomilla recutita.‍

This is the plants botanical name. Matricaria is the genus of German Chamomile, and recutita is the species.

The etymology of the word "matricaria" is very interesting as it hints at a historical use for German Chamomile as an antispasmodic. Matricaria in Latin means "matrix," which at the time meant "womb" instead of the fantastic Keanu Reeves movie. Matrix is where we get the word matriarchy, matter, and material.

The antispasmotic qualities of German Chamomile historically was used to support menstrual cramps and any residual sleep difficulties and stomach upset.

The other part of German Chamomile's name, recutita means circumcised, for the ray petals that go around (circum) the flower's yellow center.

Roman Chamomile scientific name and meaning

The scientific name for Roman Chamomile, a perennial herb, is Anthemis nobilis. This plant is also sometimes referred to as English chamomile or Chamaemelum nobile (UWM).

Anthemis is New Latin for chamomile, and is borrowed from the Greek word anthos, meaning flower.

nobilis means noble, as it was thought it was better than German chamomile.

Chamomile flower identification

Chamomile is perhaps one of the more common and well known herbs out there. It grows easily in gardens - I had a whole bed set aside for it last going season and it was prolific!

Chamomile is a part of the astercea or daisy family, which is fitting because it looks like a smaller version of a daisy -a yellow center (which are actually called florets) is surrounded by white petals. The stems branch out and have a sort of brackish growing pattern to them, with many heads growing on a singular plant stem and its branches.  

When I grow chamomile from seed directly in the garden in spring, it grows just over a foot in height. However, if I overwinter new chamomile plants in my garden, they will grow over 2 feet tall.

It’s an annual plant but self-seeds pretty easily so future generations will linger in the same place.

If you are walking by a chamomile garden bed, the aroma of the plants might prompt you to think that you were walking by an apple orchard.

Chamomile has a high concentration of essential oil, which actually comes out to be a blue color.

Chamomile Varieties: Roman vs German Chamomile

Characteristics of roman and german chamomile

Roman Chamomile plants and German Chamomile plants have similar appearances, scents, and soothing properties. They both attract beneficial insects into the garden.

So which one should you grow?

Honestly, for me this question can be answered depending on your intentions and desires with your chamomile plant.

Do you want something that will stay in the same place and bloom for you in that location year after year? Then Roman Chamomile is the choice for you.

Do you want something that is more flexible, and can be moved around the garden to different locations year after year? Then German Chamomile is your plant!

Or, you could try growing both varieties to see which does best in your garden and which you like the taste of more. Remember that Roman Chamomile can take unitl it's second year to flower before doing a full comparison.

In terms of appearance, Roman Chamomile is shorter and slightly shorter petals. The leaves are less frondy in appearance. German Chamomile can grow around 2 feet tall and has leaves similar to fennel.

Chamomile varieties and their unique properties

High fragrance - Bodegold Chamomile: A variety of German Chamomile that has a higher essential oil profile, so it also is more fragrant. The taste is less bitter than standard varieties. Bodegold is said to provide larger harvests than standard German Chamomile. It's available at Adaptive Seeds.

High yielding - Złoty Łan: German type that is known for high yields. Available from Adaptive Seeds.

Best for fresh eating - St. John's Chamomile: Not a cultivar but it's own species, St. John's Chamomile resembles Dyer's Chamomile in that is has yellowy-orange petals instead of white. Available from Strictly Medicinal Seeds, where they recommend adding it to salads as a garnish.

Best for lawns - Flore Pleno: A Roman Chamomile cultivar recommended for alternative lawns by the Royal Horticultural Society. Stands out with pretty flowers that have double layers of petals. Available at Morning Sun Herbs.

Dyer's Chamomile - Cota tinctoria - the other chamomile

I love experimenting with plants that provide color for paints and fabric dyes. While you can make a dye out of the more standard chamomiles, there is another plant that you might want to add to your dye garden. According to Native Plant Trust, Dyer's Chamomile is also known as Anthemis tinctoria.

Instead of white petals, Dyer's Chamomile has vibrant yellow petals, similar to a tiny sunflower.

While this is a well-documented dye plant, it's not well documented for internal use. I'd recommend sticking to German or Roman varieties of chamomile for tea and the like.

Conclusion: Growing Chamomile in the Regenerative Herb Garden

All varieties of chamomile are easy to grow and add a sense of beautiful whimsy to the garden. Their fragrance alone is a reason to grow them, but as I've outlined here, there are so many more reasons to grow chamomile plants. Chamomile has so many benefits for regenerative gardens - from attracting beneficial insects to serving as a natural alternative to herbicides and fungicides. Chamomile also supports human health in the form of tea.

If you want to get started growing herbs or flowers in your garden, let chamomile be at the top of your list.