How to grow Chamomile, German?
- Latin Family: Asteraceae
- Latin Genus: Matricaria
- Ease of Growing: Easy
- Growing Type: Annual
This annual bushy shrub has aromatic small flowers with white petals and yellow centers. The flowers can be used for a variety of purposes including making tea, essential oil, chamomile capsules, scenting potpourris, decorating salads, or making dye.
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Chamomile, German History
Chamomile was once worshiped by the Egyptians and has been used medicinally to treat a wide variety of ailments and diseases for at least a thousand years.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 5.6 - 7.5
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.0 - 7.0
Chamomile prefers slightly acid soil that is rich, but it will grow in slightly poorer soil as long as it's well drained.
How to care for Chamomile, German?
Chamomile is pretty trouble-free plant, and doesn't need much care. You can pretty much leave it up to it's own devices, since it will self-sow and grow itself.
Water
Chamomile can survive without additional watering in cooler weather but will need additional water during prolonged periods of hot and dry weather. The plant will also benefit from additional watering when it starts to bloom. Be sure not to overwater it.
Fertilizer
Soil should be moderately fertile.
Seeds
Seed Viability: 3 - 5 years
Germination Percentage: 40.0
The flowers are perfect (have both male and female parts) and are pollinated by insects. There aren't many varieties so you probably don't need to worry about cross pollination. Harvest the seeds when flowers turn brown and dry. German Chamomile commonly reseeds itself, so saving seed is often not necessary for continued harvests year after year. Just leave a few flowers in the garden to set seed and they will sow themselves next season.
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Chamomile prefers full sun, but will tolerate some shade.
Conditions:
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
Dry at room temperature in a single layer. Flowers may mold if not dried quickly and thoroughly. Some gardeners use a food dehydrator to dry the flowers. Once dry, store the flowers in air tight containers.
Storage Req: Dry, Drying
Storage Temp: 60-75°F
Storage Length: 1-180 days
Problems
Chamomile, German Types
- German Chamomile
A bushy annual that grows up to 3' tall. Blooms of flowers with white petals and yellow centers are aromatic and used for a variety of purposes, many medicinal.
Pests
- Aphids
- Slugs and snails
