The dog chamomile is not only a species-rich wild perennial that is widespread in our country, it is also good in garden culture as a pleasant bed enrichment and as a cut flower for colorful bouquets. As a native plant, it is also extremely easy to care for.
Dog chamomile flowers white or yellow
Table of Contents
Show all- sorts
- Typically cup-shaped flowers of approx. 2 ½ to 4 cm in diameter
- standalone
- Multi-layered wreath of petals
- Yellow to creamy white colour
- Long flowering period between June and September
- Valuable insect pasture
- Generally very undemanding
- Prefers sandy to stony, poor soils
- Unfavorable: water-retaining, loamy soils
- loves the sun
- Well suited for rock gardens
- Strengthening by pruning after the main bloom - preparation for the winter
- Clean faded flowers continuously
- Also lasts a long time as a cut flower
- In contrast to real chamomile, dog chamomile is slightly poisonous
- Contains sesquiterpene lactone anthecotulid
- Causes skin irritation, swelling and irritation of the respiratory tract
- No mortal danger
origin
The dog chamomile genus, Anthemis in Latin, with a total of around 100 species, occurs primarily in central and southern Europe. Depending on the species, their distribution areas range from northern Europe to mainly south-eastern areas such as Greece, Turkey, Israel and northern Africa.
Here in Germany, the frugal perennial prefers to inhabit stony ruderal areas, roadsides, dams and dry meadows. It is therefore adapted to not really luxurious habitats, which is also reflected in its very insensitive character. As a result, it does not require a lot of attention in garden culture and can also give inexperienced garden owners a handsome flower blossom.
growth
Dog chamomiles grow either as annual, herbaceous plants or as perennials with minor woodiness. Depending on the species, they reach a height of around 20 to 50 centimetres. Their habit is characterized by the large, structured leaves on the stems and the daisy-like flowers typical of daisy family.
leaves
The leaves of dog chamomiles are attached alternately to the multi-branched, hairy stems and have a doubly pinnate shape. The elongated, linear-lanceolate individual leaves on the leaflets have a finely toothed edge. The foliage is usually greyish-medium green in color.
blossoms
As a daisy family, dog chamomile also has the characteristic, cup-shaped inflorescences of around 2 ½ to 4 centimeters in diameter. They stand individually at the ends of the stems and have a hemispherical, sometimes slightly raised crest. The petals are multi-layered, the individual leaflets have skin edges, are blunt and about half a centimeter long. Depending on the species, the flowers are bright yellow to pale yellow or creamy white in color. The flowering period is usually between June and September. The abundance of flowers is enormous and new flowers are constantly forming, especially if you clean them continuously.
The flowers offer a large abundance of pollen and nectar and are often visited by bees and other beneficial insects. In this respect, it is also recommended for a natural garden-biological balance to get dog chamomile in the garden.
The flowers of the dyer's chamomile have another special property that is already anchored in their name. They contain an intense, yellow mordant dye that used to be used primarily to dye textiles.
Flower properties at a glance:
fruit
After flowering, dog chamomiles form elongated, cylindrical to conical fruits with an angular cross-section. Numerous seeds are formed in the fruit, through which the dog chamomile sows effectively. In this way, it ensures its existence in a very reliable way, despite the rather limited lifespan of the individual plants.
location
The dog chamomiles can often be found in nature and their preferred settlement areas already reveal their location requirements - which are generally not particularly demanding. It usually grows where other plants would not put a foot (or root) - the dog chamomile feels very comfortable on stony construction sites or on railway embankments and can give these otherwise rather desolate areas a cheerful touch.
In general, dog chamomile likes poor, sandy to stony soil without much nutrient content. Anyone who otherwise has a hard time getting anything to bloom with a stony garden soil will find a grateful buyer in dog chamomile. The only thing she wants a lot of is sunlight. What she doesn't want to know about, however, is waterlogging. A loamy, water-retaining soil is not for them at all. Above all, frost can become dangerous in winter.
Because it likes stony soil, dog chamomile is ideal for planting in rock gardens. If you're looking to add a bit of floral color and a homely, understated charm to your rock garden, Anthemis is highly recommended. Some varieties also form very dense cushion stands, so they can act as colorful ground covers.
Site requirements at a glance:
planting distance
If you want to plant an area in the bed with dog chamomile, the planting distance depends on the type and variety you have chosen. The many variants reach somewhat different sizes and sometimes form looser and sometimes denser clumps. For smaller and more loosely spreading species such as the silvery mountain chamomile, you should stick to around 9 to 12 plants per m². For densely growing, larger species such as the garden dyer's chamomile, you need fewer specimens, around 4-5 per m².
In general, the following also applies: the more extensive your planting plan should be, the more plants you should plant.
To cut
In order to give dog chamomiles a revitalizing boost, it is advisable to cut them back after flowering, i.e. around the end of September. This allows them to gather some energy for the winter. You should always cut off faded flowers as soon as possible to encourage them to grow again.
Dog chamomiles remain in bloom for a long time even after the entire plant has been topped. This makes them ideal as cut flowers for bouquets.
To remember:
hardy
Basically, most perennial dog chamomiles are hardy. They can therefore easily be planted outdoors permanently and do not have to be brought indoors in autumn. However, if the temperature is very severely below zero and the soil is not quite as permeable, you should protect the plants by covering them with fir branches or sacking.
In the pot
Dog chamomiles can also be cultivated in a bucket. So you can get the feel-good flowers on the balcony or terrace - and with them buzzing visitors, who also provide a summery flair and can also pollinate any neighboring plants.
If you keep a dog chamomile in a pot, you have to be a little more careful and close-meshed when caring for it. Here, for example, regular, if not particularly extensive, watering is necessary. Water only enough so that the root ball does not dry out completely. A mixture of normal potting soil and a good proportion of sand is suitable as a substrate.
pour
The dog chamomile does not usually need a separate watering. She generally likes it warm and dry. However, if you keep her in a bucket, you should give her some water regularly. However, make sure that the substrate has good drainage and that no waterlogging can occur.
Fertilize
Dog chamomile does not need to be given any special fertilizer either - since it is adapted to lean soil, additional nutrient application should be avoided. With a tub culture, if you value lush flowering, you can give some fertilizer with a high concentration of potassium and phosphorus - but very sparingly and in small doses.
multiply
The dog chamomile takes care of its continued existence by itself. In addition, it usually forms quite a large abundance of seeds, with which it reproduces itself. If you want to multiply a dog chamomile in a targeted manner, you can either use the seeds or use the cuttings method.
seed propagation
It is best to collect seeds from the ripened fruits of your previous dog chamomile stock at the end of September or beginning of October. It is best to store these over the winter. In the spring, place them in plant pots with potting soil that you set up in a bright and relatively warm place. It is best to keep them evenly moist under foil until they germinate.
cuttings
Dog chamomile can also be easily propagated by cuttings. This method is not that time-consuming and, above all, can be used during the entire main vegetation phase. Simply cut off a young but well formed shoot from the mother plant with a sharp knife. You can root it in a growing substrate or simply in a glass of water.
Diseases
Dog chamomiles are not only very easy to care for because of their undemanding location, water and nutrient requirements, but also virtually immune to any diseases. Even snails usually leave them alone.
Poisonous
The real chamomile has been valued as a medicinal plant for thousands of years and is used both externally and internally for calming, anti-inflammatory, disinfecting, antispasmodic and digestive support. Unfortunately, dog chamomile cannot offer these healing effects. On the contrary - it is even slightly poisonous. Therefore, care should be taken when collecting to avoid confusion. Some types of dog chamomile look very similar to real chamomile. A mix-up, however, is quite easy to prevent.
Notes against confusion
Clear distinguishing features are, on the one hand, the smell: if the typical chamomile scent is missing and at most a faint herbaceous smell can be perceived, you don't have real chamomile in front of your nose. On the other hand, in contrast to real chamomile, dog chamomile does not have a hollow but a filled flower base.
True chamomile also typically has slightly drooping petals that are also not slightly jagged like dog chamomile's. Real chamomile is also significantly rarer than the dog chamomile species.
The harmful substance in dog chamomile is the sesquiterpene lactone anthecotulid. It triggers allergy-like reactions such as skin irritation with intensive skin contact and excessive consumption swelling of the mucous membranes and irritation of the respiratory tract. But there is no deadly danger.
To remember:
dog
There is also a slight risk of poisoning for dogs because of the sesquiterpene lactone anthecotulid - this is, however, negligible because the urge to eat plants is usually low in these four-legged friends and the not very high concentration of the substance in the plant.
sorts
There are now a number of dog chamomile varieties for the garden and balcony available in specialist shops. However, only a fraction of the many different species are represented in the breeds. Varieties of dyer's dog chamomile, Carpathian dog chamomile or mountain chamomile are the most common.
Dyer's dog chamomile
The dyer's dog chamomile, botanically Anthemis tinctoria, is in turn divided into several subspecies. The most commonly available for garden culture is the subspecies Anthemis tinctoria tinctoria - its common name is accordingly garden chamomile. Of this subspecies, for example, the Dwarf Form variety is particularly popular.
*Dwarf Shape*:
The garden dyer's chamomile 'Dwarf Form' is characterized by its rich, golden yellow flowers, which appear very decorative with a relatively large, plate-shaped tuft of about 5-10 centimeters in diameter. The flowers appear from June and delight with their brightly colored, cheerful splendor well into September. The garden chamomile is also particularly attractive because of its aromatic scent, which is unusual for dog chamomile.
The abundance of pollen and nectar is also a very positive characteristic of this variety - by planting it, you can attract welcome beneficial insects and increase the biodiversity of your garden.
The plant is about 25 to 40 cm high and shows a bushy, dense, clumpy habit. This makes the garden chamomile particularly suitable as a cushion-forming ground cover, especially for rock garden plantings.
Silvery mountain chamomile
The silvery mountain chamomile, botanically Anthemis marschalliana, which comes from Asia Minor, hardly differs in its flower color from the garden dyer's chamomile. Its flowers are also a rich golden yellow and have a very similar morphology, albeit with a slightly more bowl-like shape. In addition, they are significantly smaller at only around 4 cm in diameter. They appear a little earlier in the year, namely in May, and remain in place until July. The silvery mountain chamomile is also a valuable bee pasture.
The overall height of the plant, at around 20 to 30 centimetres, also lags behind the garden dyer's chamomile.
The special attraction, to which the species also owes its name, is its silvery-green foliage, which is arranged in rosettes and radiates a delicate elegance. The structurally interesting, silver-green shimmer of the leaves can set a beautiful accent, especially in bouquets, for which the species is also well suited because of its pruning-tolerant flowers.
Carpathian dog chamomile
The Carpathian dog chamomile, botanically Anthemis carpatica, also has the beautiful nickname 'Carpathian snow'. This is no coincidence, as it describes its origin from the high altitudes of the Carpathians on the one hand and its appearance in full with all its characteristics on the other: it actually flowers in pure snow white with a yolk-yellow pistil and forms dense, low cushioned clumps. As a result, the areas planted with it appear as if they had just been snowed on.
The flowers have a rather small size of around 5 cm in diameter, but they are all the more numerous and therefore so carpet-forming. They appear from May, but unfortunately only stay until June. The finely feathered foliage is light green
This species only reaches about 10 to 25 cm in height and up to 20 or 30 cm in width.