Matricaria recutita (Camomile)

Matricaria recutita is an evergreen small shrub, typically growing 2-5 ft tall and spreading outwardly by underground rhizomes. It requires full sun or semi-shade, and moderate watering. In the warmer months, white, off-white and sometimes yellow flowers appear, producing a sweet, fragrant scent. This plant is both ethnomedicinal and inviting to butterflies, moths, bees and hummingbirds.

Matricaria recutita is easy to grow and maintain. It is best grown from seed, which should be sown at a depth of ¼ inch and kept moist and warm for optimal germination. Once seedlings emerge, water when soil is dry and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer every 6-8 weeks. To encourage a fuller, bushier growth habit, prune the shrub lightly in the spring. This shrub does not tolerate cold well and can become damaged if temperatures dip below freezing, so it is best suited for USDA zones 9-11. To protect the plant from frost, place a pot indoors or wrap the foliage, roots and stem in a blanket. In colder regions where the ground freezes, Matricaria recutita should be planted in a pot and overwintered indoors, ensuring that the soil remains dampened but not overly saturated.