How to Grow Chamomile

Chamomile

Overview

Chamomile might be the most practical tea herb you can grow. Both German and Roman varieties offer that classic apple scent we know from bedtime teas, but here’s the thing – you can grow enough in a few pots to skip those $7 boxes at the store entirely. German chamomile gives you buckets of flowers for drying (it’s what’s in most commercial teas), while Roman chamomile forms a fragrant groundcover that comes back year after year. Choose based on your needs: German for volume, Roman for permanence.

Where & How to Plant

Pick a sunny spot with decent drainage – chamomile hates wet feet more than anything. Both types thrive in containers (12-inch minimum for German, 18-inch for Roman’s spreading habit). Use regular potting mix with extra perlite mixed in for drainage. In raised beds, just ensure the soil drains well; if your native soil stays soggy, plant in a raised mound. German chamomile can handle average soil and even prefers it lean. Roman chamomile appreciates a bit more organic matter but nothing fancy. Neither needs rich soil – too much nitrogen makes them tall and floppy without extra blooms. If you have pets, put pots and beds where they can’t reach: the ASPCA lists Roman chamomile as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and NC State Extension flags German chamomile for them too (safety notes).

Germination & Propagation

Chamomile seeds are tiny and need light to germinate – don’t bury them. Sprinkle on the soil surface after your last frost when temperatures stay above 55°F, press gently, and keep moist with a mister. Seeds sprout in 7–14 days. You can start indoors 3–6 weeks early under lights if you want a head start; keep the trays where pets can’t nibble them (safety notes). Thin seedlings to 4–8 inches apart once they’re 2 inches tall. Roman chamomile also spreads by rooting stems – you can dig and divide established clumps in early spring to expand your patch.

Sunlight & Watering

Full sun produces the most flowers, though both types tolerate light shade (Roman handles it better). In very hot climates, some afternoon shade helps. Water regularly during establishment – about 1 inch per week total. Once mature, German chamomile handles dry spells. Roman chamomile prefers more consistent moisture but still won’t tolerate soggy soil. In containers, expect to water more frequently, possibly daily in hot weather. Check by sticking your finger half an inch into the soil – if it’s dry, water.

Harvest

The sweet spot for harvesting is when flowers are fully open with petals just starting to bend backward slightly. Don’t wait until petals droop completely – you’ll lose potency. Morning harvest after dew dries gives you the strongest oils. German chamomile produces continuously for 1–2 months if you keep picking every few days. Roman chamomile yields less but still provides enough for personal use. Pinch or snip just the flower heads, leaving stems behind. Handle gently to preserve the oils. (See our guide to drying herbs..)

Traditional Uses

Chamomile is one of the best-known traditional bedtime and after-dinner teas. The European herbal monograph recognizes it as a traditional remedy for minor stomach complaints like bloating, for cold symptoms, and for minor skin irritation. Research on sleep is still very limited, and studies on anxiety are only preliminary (NCCIH).

Parts Used

Flower heads only. That’s where the flavor and aroma are. Fresh flowers work but have less concentration than dried. The distinctive apple scent intensifies with proper drying. German chamomile flowers taste sweeter in tea; Roman chamomile has a notably bitter edge.

Common Preparations

Before you make any of these, skip chamomile if you’re allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies or other daisy-family plants, because reactions can be serious. Little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding, so check with your doctor first. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first if you take warfarin or any other prescription medicine, and ask your pediatrician before giving chamomile to a child (safety notes).

• Tea/Infusion: 1 heaping teaspoon dried flowers per cup, steep 5–10 minutes (See our guide to hot infusions.) Skip it if you’re allergic to daisy-family plants; check with your doctor first if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or on warfarin or other prescription medicine (safety notes).
• Tincture: Fill jar half full with dried flowers, cover with vodka, steep 4–6 weeks (See our guide to tinctures.) Same cautions as tea; alcohol can be a dangerous poison for children, so store the jar and bottles out of sight and reach (safety notes).
• Infused oil: Cover dried flowers with olive oil, infuse 2–4 weeks warm (See our guide to infused oils.) Don’t use it on your skin if you’re allergic to daisy-family plants (safety notes).
• Salve: Combine infused oil with melted beeswax (8:1 ratio) (See our guide to salves and balms.) It’s made from the infused oil, so the same daisy-family allergy caution applies. Beeswax is flammable and can catch fire if it boils over onto the burner, so melt it over low heat and keep a close eye on it (safety notes).
• Compress: Strong tea applied to the skin with a cloth (See our guide to compresses.) Skip it if you’re allergic to daisy-family plants (safety notes).

Keep preparations simple. The herb does most of the work.

Companion & Garden Notes

German chamomile self-sows enthusiastically – a blessing or curse depending on your perspective. If pets use the yard, keep volunteer seedlings out of pets’ reach (safety notes). Both types attract beneficial insects. Roman chamomile has an old reputation as the “plant doctor” – supposedly improving the health of nearby plants, though that might be more folklore than fact. Works well planted near brassicas and onions.

Safety Notes

Skip chamomile if you’re allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies or other plants in the daisy family. Reactions can be serious. Little is known about chamomile’s safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so check with your doctor first (NCCIH).

Interactions with warfarin (a blood thinner) and with some drugs processed by the liver have been reported. In theory, it might also interact with sedatives. If you take any prescription medicine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first. If you have surgery coming up, tell your surgeon about any herbs you use, including chamomile.

Most chamomile medicines in Europe are labeled for adults and teens over 12 (European herbal monograph). Ask your pediatrician before giving chamomile to a child, and don’t give it to babies without their okay.

Alcohol: Poison Control warns, “Alcohol can be a dangerous poison for children,” and advises storing alcohol-containing products “out of sight and reach” (Poison Control). A vodka-based chamomile tincture is an alcohol-containing product, so store it the same way.

Beeswax: University of Delaware Extension cautions that “beeswax is flammable. If beeswax should boil over or flow onto the burner there is danger of a violent fire,” and advises “low heat and careful attention” when handling it (University of Delaware Extension).

Pets: The ASPCA lists chamomile (Roman chamomile, Anthemis nobilis) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Listed signs include contact dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and allergic reactions, and long-term use can lead to bleeding tendencies (ASPCA). NC State Extension also flags German chamomile as a problem for cats, dogs and horses (NC State Extension). Keep pots out of reach, and call your vet if a pet eats some.

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