Chamomile Matricaria chamomilla (German) / Chamaemelum nobile (Roman)
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this
A cheerful, daisy-flowered herb grown for its honey-apple-scented blooms, the classic ingredient in calming herbal teas. German chamomile is a self-seeding annual that grows tall and lacy; Roman chamomile is a low, spreading perennial. Both are easy, forgiving, and beloved by pollinators.
Light
Chamomile flowers best in full sun — aim for at least 6 hours of direct light a day, which keeps plants compact and covered in blooms. In cool-summer regions, give it all the sun you can. Where summers are hot, a little afternoon shade keeps the delicate foliage from scorching and stops German chamomile from bolting and fading too quickly. Indoors or on a balcony it needs a bright south-facing window or a grow light; in low light it grows pale, floppy, and stingy with flowers. If your plants are stretching and leaning, that lacy reach is a clear request for more sun.Watering
Water chamomile when the top inch of soil has dried, then water deeply at the base rather than over the foliage to keep the fine leaves dry and disease-free. Established plants are notably drought-tolerant — German chamomile in particular shrugs off dry spells once rooted. In garden beds that's roughly every 5–7 days without rain; container plants dry faster and need checking more often. Avoid keeping the soil constantly wet, which invites root rot and the powdery mildew this herb is prone to. Let it lean slightly dry rather than soggy. Yellowing lower leaves with damp soil mean you are overdoing it.Soil & potting
Chamomile thrives in light, well-draining soil and actually prefers lean ground over rich — too much fertility produces lush leaves at the expense of the flowers you want for tea. A sandy or loamy mix with a near-neutral pH (around 5.6–7.5) is ideal. Skip heavy clay and skip the compost-heavy beds; overly rich soil makes plants floppy. In containers, use a standard potting mix lightened with a handful of perlite, and always choose a pot with drainage holes. Good drainage is the single most important thing — chamomile hates wet feet far more than it minds poor, dry soil.Humidity & temperature
Chamomile is an outdoor herb that wants open air and good circulation around its lacy stems — crowded, stagnant, humid conditions invite powdery mildew, so space plants 6–8 inches apart. It performs best in the mild range of 60–75°F. German chamomile tolerates cool weather and even light frost, making it a fine spring and fall crop, while sustained heat above 85°F causes it to bolt, brown, and stop flowering. Roman chamomile is the hardier perennial, overwintering happily in zones 4–9. Site it where breezes can move through, not against a still, sun-baked wall.Fertilizing
Chamomile needs very little feeding and often does best with none at all — it evolved on poor, lean soils, and heavy fertilizing produces leggy plants with few blooms. If your soil is genuinely depleted, a single light dose of balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength early in the season is plenty. Skip nitrogen-rich feeds entirely, since they push leafy growth at the cost of the flowers you are growing it for. For container plants, a weak monthly feed during peak bloom is acceptable. When in doubt, feed less — a slightly hungry chamomile flowers more generously than a pampered one.Pruning & maintenance
The main job here is harvesting, which doubles as pruning: pick the flowers when the white petals are still flat or just beginning to curl back and the yellow centers are domed, ideally on a dry morning after the dew lifts. Pinch or snip blooms regularly — frequent picking is deadheading, and it pushes the plant to produce wave after wave of new flowers all season. Pinching young seedlings once encourages bushier growth. For German chamomile, leave a few late flowers to set seed if you want it to self-sow and return next year. Cut back tired, leggy stems midseason to refresh the planting.Propagation
Chamomile is easiest from seed and readily self-sows once established. Start the tiny seeds indoors 6 weeks before your last frost, or sow directly outdoors after frost danger passes. Surface-sow and press lightly — the seeds need light to germinate, so do not bury them. Keep the surface lightly moist; germination takes 7–14 days. Thin seedlings to 6–8 inches apart once they have a few true leaves. Roman (perennial) chamomile can also be divided in spring by lifting a clump and pulling apart rooted sections. Let German chamomile drop a few seed heads and it will happily reappear on its own.Common problems
Through the year
Spring
Prime planting time. Sow seed indoors or direct after frost, thin seedlings, and pinch young plants once for bushiness as the first flowers begin.
Summer
Peak bloom — harvest flowers every few days to keep them coming. In hot regions, give afternoon shade and watch for bolting; succession-sow German chamomile for a steady supply.
Fall
A cool-weather second flush for German chamomile. Let a few heads set seed to self-sow, and harvest the last blooms before hard frost.
Winter
German chamomile dies back as an annual; Roman chamomile goes dormant and overwinters in the ground in zones 4–9. Mulch perennial clumps and wait for spring.
Companion planting
Often called the 'plant's physician' — chamomile is a classic companion for brassicas, onions, and cabbages, and is said to improve the vigor and flavor of nearby herbs. Its flowers draw hoverflies, bees, and other beneficial pollinators to the garden.
Recommended supplies for Chamomile
- A seed-starting kit
- A seedling heat mat
- A long-spout watering can
- Neem oil for pests
- Clean pruning snips
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