Chamaemelum nobile Seeds | Roman Chamomile
LATIN NAME: Chamaemelum nobile
COMMON NAME: Roman Chamomile, English Chamomile
Plant Profile
Known to gardeners as Roman Chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile is a low, spreading, evergreen perennial in the daisy family (Asteraceae), native to warm regions of the Mediterranean and the western Europe, while it has been cultivated in gardens for a very long time. For the small amount of care it requires, the return is remarkable.
Science & Biotechnology
As part of the daisy family, Chamaemelum nobile contributes to research on plant classification and adaptation, while nurseries and gardeners continue to trial it for cultivation. The Roman chamomile has a real and distinguished place in research. It is the kind of species that plant scientists reach for when they need reliable material for propagation and selection studies.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Roman Chamomile earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. The Roman chamomile is a low, mat-forming herb of sunny garden and lawn edges, bearing many small, daisy-like, white-and-yellow flowers in the summer. Its flowers feed bees and beneficial insects, and its low, fragrant mat gives a fine cover between stepping stones and along path edges, while its evergreen foliage provides a year-round presence in mild garden. To raise the Roman chamomile, sow seeds on surface of pots of moist, open compost in a sunny, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow little herbs on in the sun. Once it has its roots down, it more or less looks after itself.
Roman chamomile shares German chamomile’s fame: its apple-scented flowers make the classic calming, digestive tea, and the essential oil is rich in soothing esters used in skin care.
Growing from Seed
Roman Chamomile is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Fill a pot with a light seed compost, sow evenly on the surface, cover thinly and stand it somewhere warm, bright and evenly moist. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
Roman Chamomile, English Chamomile is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Careful watering early on is rewarded by toughness at maturity.
Related Reading
If Roman Chamomile appeals to you, these related plants are worth a look: