Roman Chamomile Seeds

Roman chamomile is the low, creeping perennial that smells of apples every time you step on it, with white daisies for tea from early summer. Chamaemelum nobile forms a soft mat of feathery, bright green foliage topped with small white flowers with golden centres. Pick the flowers in full bloom and dry them for a gentle, sweetly floral tisane, or use them fresh in cakes and desserts. It is just as useful between paving, along path edges or in a herb bed, and the flowers bring in bees.

Sowing and growing

• Sow indoors March to April, or outdoors April to May and again in September
• Depth: sow on the surface and press in lightly; the seed needs light to germinate
• Germination: 10 to 15 days at around 15 to 20°C
• Position: full sun to light shade, in light, well-drained soil
• Height: about 30 cm in flower; spread 20 cm or more
• Flowers: June to August, about 2 months after sowing
• Lifecycle: perennial and hardy in most UK gardens; trim after flowering to keep plants compact

What you receive: a packet of about 700 open-pollinated seeds from Piccolo Seeds, with growing instructions on the back.

Roman chamomile also features in our Floral Teas seed collection. Browse more seeds for the kitchen garden and plants for pollinators.