German Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
The classic tea herb beloved for its apple-scented flowers and gentle, soothing properties that have been treasured for centuries. This delicate annual produces masses of small, daisy-like flowers with white petals and bright yellow centers that can be harvested continuously throughout the growing season. Easy to grow and self-seeds readily, creating a charming cottage garden atmosphere while providing homegrown herbal tea.
Harvest
60-75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
2–8
USDA hardiness
Height
13-30 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for German Chamomile in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 herb →Zone Map
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German Chamomile · Zones 2–8
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – May | June – July | — | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – July | — | July – October |
| Zone 5 | March – April | May – June | — | June – October |
| Zone 6 | March – April | May – June | — | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – June | — | June – November |
| Zone 8 | February – March | April – May | — | May – December |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – August | — | August – September |
Succession Planting
Chamomile is a cool-season annual that gets leggy and stops producing once daytime highs settle above 80°F, so plan around that ceiling. Start one round indoors in February–March for April transplants, then direct-sow a second batch outdoors in early April — that stagger gives you a rolling harvest window through June without the two flushes overlapping badly. Don't bother sowing after mid-May in zone 7; plants started that late hit summer heat before they hit peak flower. Pick back up with a fall sowing in late August, direct-seeding into a prepared bed, and those plants will flower into October or November before frost closes things out.
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt). Drainage: Good Drainage. Height: 1 ft. 1 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 8 in. - 0 ft. 1 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Edibility: Flowers for tea and other culinary uses.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh German chamomile flowers stay vibrant for 2-3 days when stored in the refrigerator in a slightly damp paper towel inside a perforated plastic bag. For immediate use, keep flowers at room temperature for up to 24 hours, avoiding direct sunlight which degrades essential oils.
Drying is the preferred preservation method—spread flowers in a single layer on screens in a warm, dry, dark location with good air circulation. Properly dried flowers retain their apple scent and turn slightly golden; store in airtight glass containers away from light for up to one year. For faster results, use a dehydrator at 95-100°F for 4-6 hours. Freezing fresh flowers works well for tea use—freeze on trays, then transfer to containers. Avoid traditional canning methods as heat destroys chamomile's delicate beneficial compounds.
History & Origin
Origin: Temp. Eurasia to Indo-China
Advantages
- +Edible: Flowers for tea and other culinary uses.
- +Fast-growing
- +Low maintenance
Considerations
- -Toxic (Flowers, Leaves): Low severity
Companion Plants
Chamomile's real value as a companion is attracting hoverflies and parasitic wasps — small beneficials that feed on nectar from its open disk flowers and then hunt aphids on neighboring brassicas like cabbage and broccoli. Plant it within 18-24 inches of those crops and let some flowers open fully rather than harvesting everything. Basil shares similar water and sun requirements without much root competition, so those two can coexist in close quarters without either one suffering. Mint is the one to skip — not for any chemical reason, but because it spreads aggressively by runner and will physically crowd chamomile out of a bed inside a single season. Black walnut is a harder limit: juglone, the compound its roots release into surrounding soil, suppresses a wide range of plants, and chamomile has no particular tolerance for it.
Plant Together
Basil
Attracts beneficial insects and may enhance chamomile's essential oil production
Cabbage
Chamomile deters cabbage moths and other brassica pests while improving cabbage flavor
Onions
Repel aphids and other soft-bodied insects that commonly attack chamomile
Cucumber
Chamomile attracts beneficial insects that help with cucumber pollination and pest control
Broccoli
Chamomile's scent masks brassica odors from pest insects and attracts parasitic wasps
Lettuce
Chamomile provides light shade and may improve lettuce growth in warm weather
Roses
Chamomile attracts beneficial insects and may help deter aphids from roses
Tomatoes
Chamomile attracts pollinators and beneficial insects while potentially improving tomato flavor
Keep Apart
Mint
Aggressive spreader that can overwhelm chamomile and compete for nutrients and space
Black Walnut
Produces juglone, a natural herbicide toxic to chamomile and many other plants
Large Sunflowers
Create excessive shade and compete heavily for nutrients, stunting chamomile growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #172232)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Generally disease resistant, may develop powdery mildew in humid conditions
Common Pests
Aphids, thrips, spider mites
Diseases
Powdery mildew, damping-off in seedlings
Troubleshooting German Chamomile
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapse at soil level within the first 10-14 days after germination
Likely Causes
- Damping-off — most often Pythium or Rhizoctonia fungi thriving in cold, wet, poorly drained media
- Overwatering combined with low airflow around seedling trays
What to Do
- 1.Sow chamomile thinly — it's tiny seed and people always oversow it; crowded seedlings trap moisture and go down fast
- 2.Water from below or let the surface dry slightly between waterings once seeds have sprouted
- 3.If starting indoors, run a small fan near the trays to keep air moving across the soil surface
White powdery coating on leaves and stems, usually appearing once plants are established and daytime temps climb past 70°F
Likely Causes
- Powdery mildew — a fungal disease that spreads by airspores and thrives in warm days with cool nights and low soil moisture
- Crowded spacing under 6 inches that cuts off airflow between plants
What to Do
- 1.NC State Extension's organic gardening guidance notes that neem oil suppresses powdery mildew but breaks down within 100 hours — reapply every 5-7 days while conditions favor the disease
- 2.Bacillus subtilis (sold as Serenade) is another option that attacks foliar fungal diseases without harming the flowers you're harvesting
- 3.Pull badly infected stems and trash them — don't compost chamomile tissue showing active mildew
Sticky residue on foliage or distorted growing tips, with tiny pale or green insects clustered on new growth
Likely Causes
- Aphids — often Myzus persicae or similar generalist species, particularly bad on young plants in spring
- Thrips, which NC State Extension's IPM guidance flags as a wide-host pest that moves readily out of weedy borders and into nearby crops
What to Do
- 1.Knock aphids off with a firm spray of water early in the morning — two or three days in a row before reaching for anything else
- 2.Mow or clear weedy borders within 10 feet of your chamomile bed before plants get established; NC State IPM notes that thrips migrate from weedy areas once a crop is in the ground
- 3.For persistent pressure, neem oil at roughly 2 tbsp per gallon of water also kills aphid eggs and doubles as a miticide if spider mites show up alongside
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does German chamomile take to bloom from seed?▼
Can you grow German chamomile in containers?▼
What's the difference between German and Roman chamomile?▼
Is German chamomile good for beginner gardeners?▼
When should I plant German chamomile seeds?▼
How much German chamomile should I plant for tea?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- ExtensionNC State Extension
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.