How to Grow Chamomiles USA

Soil & Growing Conditions

Water: well-drained, tolerates light soil that drains freely (RHS)

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	Sow seed thinly on the surface of damp, peat-free seed compost in spring -- seeds need light to germinate (RHS).
Mat-forming foliage establishment	3	Develops finely divided, aromatic, mat-forming foliage; regular trimming keeps growth compact and bushy (RHS).
Flowering	6	Chamomile grows quickly and can start flowering in as little as ten weeks (RHS).
Establishment to maturity	9	Reaches full maturity over 2-5 years as a perennial mat (RHS).

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil texture	chalk, loam or sand (RHS)
Drainage	well-drained
Lifecycle	perennial
Edible parts	flowers, leaves

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Harvest the small white daisy-like flowers as they open, traditionally dried for chamomile tea; aromatic leaves can also be used. Plants begin flowering in as little as ten weeks from sowing (RHS).

Chamomile, a Mat-Forming Perennial Herb

A low, mat-forming perennial

RHS: a mat-forming herbaceous perennial reaching just 0.1-0.5m in height and spread, taking 2-5 years to reach full maturity.

What the research guides add

This section covers German chamomile, the annual used for tea; Roman chamomile is a different, low-growing perennial.

• German chamomile is an annual in the daisy family, growing quickly from seed to erect, branched stems up to 2 feet tall. UC ANR calls it a cool-season, drought-tolerant annual that self-seeds so readily you may think it is a perennial. (Wisconsin Extension, UC ANR)
• UC ANR advises sowing when the soil is above 55°F, or as early as five weeks before the last frost, 1/8 inch deep in well-drained sandy soil in full sun, and thinning seedlings to 4 inches apart when they are 2 to 2½ inches tall. (UC ANR)
• Montana State says it can be grown from transplants or direct seeding, that irrigation is usually needed while seedlings establish, and that transplants can be spaced 8 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. (Montana State University)
• Plants begin blooming in early to midsummer and keep producing flowers until the seeds ripen in late summer, or until frost if deadheaded. (Wisconsin Extension)
• Harvest the flowers just as they are fully open, before the petals dry up. (UC ANR)
• Montana State tells the two species apart by the flower centre: the receptacle of German chamomile is hollow, while that of Roman chamomile is solid. (Montana State University)

Chamomile in the USA: climate data

Dates are the median 32°F freeze dates and freeze-free days from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; zones come from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map (ZIP code of each city centre).

Sources for this section

• University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension: German Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla
• University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Chamomile Growing Information (Annual Herb)
• Montana State University, Western Agricultural Research Center: German Chamomile

Section researched and checked on 24 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

1. NC State Extension - Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile)

   Herbaceous PERENNIAL in the Asteraceae, native to Europe and western Asia. 1-2ft tall. Full sun (6+ hours) or partial shade. Well-drained soil, tolerating loam and sand and acid to alkaline pH, moist to dry, and resisting poor soil. Propagated by division and seed. White daisy-like flowers from summer into autumn. Dried flowers used for tea -- the source advises limiting to one cup daily owing to thujone content -- and herb pillows. Tolerates foot traffic, so viable as a lawn. CAUTIONS: may cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people; toxic to cats, dogs and horses, causing vomiting, diarrhoea, anorexia and allergic reactions; long-term consumption increases bleeding risk.

These source is specific to this region. The full list of 3 sources behind this guide (NC State Extension, Plants For A Future (PFAF), Royal Horticultural Society) is in the references of our UK guide to chamomile; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.