- Roman chamomile: origin and properties
- Planting Roman chamomile: sowing, location and Co.
- Roman chamomile as a lawn replacement
- The right care
- Is Roman chamomile hardy?
- Uses and Effects of Roman Chamomile
- Is Roman chamomile poisonous?
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Have you been dreaming of a fragrant lawn full of flowers for a long time? Then Roman chamomile is just right for you, because it forms dense, fragrant carpets of flowers.
Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is an excellent lawn replacement, but can also be planted in beds as a bee-friendly ornamental plant. Here you can find out how it works and what you should pay attention to when caring for it.
Roman chamomile: origin and properties
Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), or Roman chamomile, which is widespread in western and southern Europe and North Africa, belongs to the daisy family (Asteraceae). It looks confusingly similar to real chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and is also used as a medicinal and culinary herb.
It is also often used as a lawn substitute, because even occasional walking on the chamomile lawn does not stop the growth of Roman chamomile. Due to the aromatic-smelling flowers and leaves, the lawn smells slightly of apples. Because of this use, Roman chamomile is also called lawn chamomile. It forms shoots on the ground, which quickly creates a dense carpet.
The perennial, herbaceous plant develops inflorescences with yellow tubular flowers inside and white ray florets on the edge. The leaves are finely pinnate and have a pleasant scent. Growth heights of 20 to 30, sometimes 40 cm are reached. Roman chamomile is frequently visited by bees. Due to its flowering period from June to October, it even offers nectar in autumn.
Tip: Because of its aromatic scent, Roman chamomile is also called bath chamomile. It can be used excellently as a soothing bath additive.
What is the difference between Roman chamomile and Roman chamomile? The main difference between Roman chamomile and Roman chamomile is their lifespan. Roman chamomiles are perennial, so they sprout again after winter. Real chamomiles are annual. In addition, the Roman chamomile, at around 30 cm, is slightly smaller than the real chamomile, which is also sometimes 50 cmgets high. You can find more detailed information on the risk of confusion with chamomile in this article.
Planting Roman chamomile: sowing, location and Co.
In addition to being used as a lawn substitute, Roman chamomile can also simply be planted in the garden as an ornamental or useful plant. Like real chamomile and dyer's chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria), it is rather undemanding. It is best to sow Roman chamomile in a location that is bright or partially shaded. The soil must be loose and permeable, waterlogging must not occur. If the garden soil is quite loamy, it is advisable to mix in sand for better permeability. If, on the other hand, the subsoil is very poor in nutrients, a high-quality substrate such as our Plantura organic universal soil can be incorporated to improve the site conditions. Our soil also has a loose, permeable structure, but also provides important nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium. Loosen the soil and remove root residues or unwanted weeds.
Roman chamomile is brought into the garden by sowing or planting. Late spring and late summer are the best times to sow Roman chamomile. Moisten the soil beforehand and distribute the seed on it. The seeds should not or only slightly be covered with substrate, because they germinate in the light. At temperatures of 15 - 20 °C, germination can be expected after about two weeks. This should be watered regularly.
Roman chamomile as a lawn replacement
Since the Roman chamomile is very tolerant of foot traffic - that is, it easily withstands one or the other footprint - it is used as a lawn plant. It also forms ground shoots, through which the Roman chamomile spreads like a carpet. The pleasant scent that emanates from the flowers and leaves is another plus. However, a chamomile lawn is not quite as robust as a lawn made of grass.
If you want to use Roman chamomile as a lawn substitute, you have to decide whether you want a carpet of white flowers or a green color without flowers. In addition to the wild form, the following varieties are mainly considered:
‘Treneague’: Also called Roman carpet chamomile or English lawn chamomile. It has no flowers, only green foliage, only grows to about 10 cm high and spreads quickly with its shoots on the ground.
'Plena': This strain develops double buds, creating a carpet of blooms. Unfortunately, however, this is not bee-friendly. In addition, it flowers sterile - so no seeds are formed.
In preparation for sowing the lawn, the soil should be freed from roots of previous plants. Heavy soils are loosened up with sand. The planting distance for the camomile lawn is 20 cm. In other words, there are about eleven specimens per square meter. You can be a little more generous when sowing, as not every seed will germinate. The young plants can be pricked out later. The location should be bright and sunny to create a dense and lush lawn. A cut is appropriate in the first late summer, because now the plants branch out and appear even denser. From the following year, the camomile lawn can also be worked on with a lawnmower.
The right care
In terms of caring for Roman chamomile, there is not much to consider because it is very frugal. It gets along well with dry soil and only needs to be watered during long periods of drought. If the Roman chamomile is cultivated as a lawn substitute, it can also be watered more regularly so that the plants grow lushly. However, under no circumstances should waterlogging occur.
Even fertilizing Roman chamomile is only rarely necessary: A dose of slow-release fertilizer in spring is sufficient. In the case of particularly poor soils, the fertilizer can be incorporated in the first year before sowing. A suitable product is, for example, our Plantura organic universal fertilizer, which provides the plants with important nutrients over a period of three months thanks to its long-term effect. It not only supports the growth of camomile, but also active soil life.
Pruning encourages the plants to branch out. Depending on the variant, you should pay attention to the right time. Flowering varieties should not be cut before June, otherwise they will not flower at all. Flowerless varieties can also be cut earlier in the year. Late summer is the ideal time for pruning, also with regard to overwintering. Pruning should be done generously to create a dense and highly branched carpet.
Is Roman chamomile hardy?
In oursRoman chamomile is hardy in all latitudes because it can withstand temperatures down to -30 °C. Special precautions for hibernation are not necessary. If the Roman chamomile was planted in a pot, it should be placed close to the house wall in winter. Alternatively, you can wrap the pot in jute because the soil in the pot freezes through more quickly due to the small volume.
Uses and Effects of Roman Chamomile
In principle, Roman chamomile has similar healing effects to real chamomile. While the Roman chamomile has an aromatic, somewhat bitter taste, the aroma of the real chamomile is rather mild. The flowers of the Roman chamomile are mainly used, which are brewed as a tea, for example, and are said to help with digestive problems, nervous conditions and menstrual cramps. It contains essential oils such as chamazulene and nobilin. The flowers are harvested and dried as quickly and gently as possible to preserve them. Incidentally, dyer's chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) is less used in the kitchen and medicine, but in fabric dyeing.
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Is Roman chamomile poisonous?
As a medicinal plant and kitchen herb, Roman chamomile is not poisonous and can be planted without hesitation in gardens that are also accessible to children or pets. However, like many composite plants, Roman chamomile can also trigger contact dermatitis in allergy sufferers. Caution is also required when eating. Depending on age and general condition, the daily dose of about 6 g of the dried flowers should not be exceeded. If Roman chamomile is consumed regularly and in large quantities, it can lead to symptoms of poisoning - even in pets.
The effect and use of real and Roman chamomile hardly differ. Read here how to properly harvest and store chamomile.