Chamomile care

Light

Chamomile is a sun-lover and needs the brightest spot in the home to thrive. Full sun to light shade. Indoors that almost always means a south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere. Plants moved abruptly from low light to direct sun will scorch — acclimate them over 7-10 days by giving a little more sun each day.

Watering

Water chamomile when the top of the soil is dry, every 7-10 days. The actual day count varies with pot size, light level, and the season — the finger test (or, better, lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a calendar. Empty any drainage saucer after watering so the pot is never sitting in water. Drought-tolerant once established.

Soil and pot

Chamomile grows best in free-draining loam. pH 5.5-7.5. Tolerates poor soil. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Chamomile sits happiest at around 40-70% (outdoor) humidity and 15-24°C (60-75°F). Outdoor humidity rarely matters. If you keep the room above 15 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed chamomile sparingly. None required in average garden soil. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on chamomile in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Self-seeding everywhere — Cut back before seed sets if you want to control spread.
• Aphids on flower buds — Rinse off with water; ladybirds clean up quickly.
• Flopping stems — Too rich a soil or too much shade.
• Poor germination — Seed needs light to germinate — surface-sow and keep moist.

Companion plants

Chamomile pairs well with Cabbage, Onion, and Cucumber. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Direct-sow seed in spring or autumn; allows itself to self-seed thereafter. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Chamomile is mildly toxic to pets. ASPCA lists chamomile (Anthemis nobilis and related) as toxic to cats and dogs in quantity, with allergic dermatitis and GI upset reported. Tea-bag amounts are very low risk; garden bingeing is not. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Chamomile deep-dive guides

Every aspect of chamomile care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Chamomile watering schedule
• Chamomile light requirements
• Best soil mix for chamomile
• Chamomile fertilizing guide
• When to repot chamomile
• How to propagate chamomile
• Chamomile growth rate & size
• Chamomile cold hardiness
• Chamomile temperature & humidity
• Is chamomile toxic to cats & dogs?
• Getting chamomile to bloom

Related guides

Chamomile is also known as German chamomile, wild chamomile, and Hungarian chamomile.

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• All 200 plant care guides in the Growli library