Roman Chamomile

Sowing: Roman chamomile can be direct-sown or started indoors for later transplanting; the seed needs light to germinate and is only barely covered or tamped into the soil surface, sprouting within one to two weeks, fastest around 74°F (23°C). Seedlings are set out or thinned once the danger of frost has passed.

Siting and spacing: Plants are spaced roughly 8-12 inches apart in slightly acidic to neutral, well-drained soil, given full sun to partial shade. Once established the low, evergreen mat tolerates poor soil and light foot traffic as its creeping stems spread to knit together a firm groundcover.

Roman chamomile is generally described as a trouble-free plant, with no major insect pests or diseases reported. Handling the foliage can cause contact dermatitis, and people sensitive to ragweed and related Asteraceae plants may develop allergic skin reactions, so gloves are recommended when working with it.

Leaves and flowers are gathered once the plant is in full bloom through summer into fall. They may be used fresh or dried in a shaded, well-ventilated spot, with the material stirred periodically over several days until thoroughly dry.

Culinary: The dried flowers are steeped for a soothing herbal tea, and fresh blossoms are sometimes used as a garnish once the bitter green calyx beneath the petals is removed.

Ornamental: Its dense, fragrant, evergreen foliage and creeping habit have made it a traditional choice for edging, cottage-garden borders, rock walls, and scented paths or lawns, while the dried flowers and leaves are also worked into potpourri and herb pillows.

Traditional: Egyptian, Greek, and Roman peoples are recorded as having valued the plant, with the Egyptians linking its sunny flowerheads to the sun god Ra; across these old-world cultures it was gathered and kept as a folk remedy for a wide range of complaints.

Roman chamomile is native to Western Europe and the northwestern Maghreb, with wild populations recorded in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, and the Azores, and its broader native range has also been described as extending into western Asia and India. It appears to have been gathered and grown across the Old World for a very long time, later becoming naturalized in North and South America, and although it only picked up the name "Roman" in the nineteenth century, it was already known as a garden escapee around Rome by that time.