Roman chamomile

Questions about roman chamomile

Does roman chamomile need sun or shade?

Roman chamomile grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, on the lean side, with no feeding, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does roman chamomile grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 9. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does roman chamomile flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to early August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should roman chamomile be planted?

12 in (30 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many roman chamomile plants do I need?

At 12 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 12 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 11 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 38 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

In the bed above, the planner used 21 in five groups.

Is roman chamomile poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to dogs, cats and horses. Can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and skin irritation in pets if eaten in quantity.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like roman chamomile?

These come closest to doing what roman chamomile does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Three-toothed cinquefoil: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late May to early July, wants dry soil.
• Woodland strawberry: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers early May to late August, medium leaves, not fine.
• Sedum 'Blue Spruce': the same job in a bed and the same size; grown for its leaves, not its flowers, wants dry soil.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat roman chamomile?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

Will roman chamomile spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Creeps by rooting stems. Easy to pull where it is not wanted.

What flowers after roman chamomile?

Roman chamomile is over by early August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall.
• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall.
• Hosta 'Guacamole': from early August to late August, 24 in tall.

What does roman chamomile look like in winter?

Roman chamomile keeps its green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.

Is roman chamomile good for bees and butterflies?

Roman chamomile is visited by pollinators and bees.