Cold hardiness

Future

2050

2100

These values are location-based: this location's current hardiness is the baseline, and the 2050 value is a projected future climate for this same location.

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Published baseline for this location from 1991-2020.

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Well-suited

2050

Zone 7a

Plotwright

Projected zone for this same location in 2050 (2041-2070) using SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry).

Well-suited

In plain terms: This location is in Zone 6b today. Its hardiness profile is cold winters, and coldest nights are typically around -3°F. By 2050, the projected hardiness zone is Zone 7a based on SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry). That is a +0.5-zone shift from Zone 6b to Zone 7a by 2050.

✓

Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.

Heat tolerance

Future

2050

2100

Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.

Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 40 ecoregions — 35 climate-resilient through 2070 · 5 suited today. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

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Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

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Arizona Mountains forests

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Blue Mountains forests

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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

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Central Tallgrass prairie

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Central-Southern Cascades Forests

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Colorado Rockies forests

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Cross-Timbers savanna-woodland

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What it needs

Conditions

Light

Full sun

Water

Low water

Spacing

8"

Habit

Upright, branching aromatic annual herb

Care tips

•

Grow in full sun in average, dry-to-medium, well-drained soil — it does especially well in light, sandy soils and tolerates poor ones.

•

Start seed indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost or direct sow before the last spring frost; it also self-seeds and can return on its own.

•

Harvest flower heads when fully open, and use them fresh or dry and store them airtight for tea.

Lifecycle

Planting

An easily grown annual. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost, or direct sow in the garden before the last spring frost. Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun; it performs well in light, sandy soils (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).

Transplanting

Move indoor-started seedlings to the garden after the last spring frost, spacing plants so the branching tops have room to flower; chamomile transplants readily while young.

Early growth

Keep young plants in full sun with even moisture to establish, then allow the dry-to-medium watering the species prefers. It tolerates light shade and poor soils but is best with regular moisture (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).

Maturity

Plants reach 1 to 2 feet tall and about 0.75 to 1 foot wide and bloom June to August. Harvest flowers when fully open; they may be used fresh off the plant or dried and stored in airtight containers. The plant self-seeds in the garden (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).

Propagation

Grown from seed — direct sown or started indoors — and self-seeds in the garden, so it can return year to year from volunteer seedlings.

Pollination

Self-fertile

The fragrant, showy daisy-like flower heads (white rays around a bright-yellow domed disk) are insect-pollinated and visited by bees and other pollinators while in bloom June to August. Flowers are harvested when fully open for tea (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).

For people

Edible

Grown chiefly to harvest its flowers, which are principally used to make chamomile tea, a mild sedative herbal drink; German chamomile is the species used in most commercial chamomile tea because it is sweeter and less bitter than Roman chamomile. Per the Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder, additional uses include culinary (added to cream cheese, fruit preparations, and salads), cosmetic (compresses or floral waters), medicinal (creams for minor inflammations or wounds), and potpourri or sachet pouches.

Native range

AHS heat range

1-9

Climate notes

•

Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder lists German chamomile (under the synonym Matricaria recutita) for USDA hardiness zones 2 to 8, grown in full sun with dry-to-medium water in average, well-drained soils; height 1 to 2 feet, spread 0.75 to 1 foot, white-ray / yellow-disk bloom June to August.

•

As an annual herb, the USDA zone range describes the climates where it can be grown through a single season rather than winter survival of a perennial — it completes its life cycle in one year and returns chiefly by self-seeding.

•

Native to Europe and western Asia (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder). MBG reports no serious insect or disease problems; the plant tolerates light shade and poor soils but is best with regular moisture and does well in light, sandy soils.

In the designer

Growth over time

6-12" tall · 5-6" spread

Seedling and young rosette of feathery foliage after sowing in spring; from indoor starts begun 6-8 weeks before the last frost or direct sowing before the last spring frost.

Design roles: Edible · Pollinator · Filler

German chamomile

At a glance

Related products

Why it matters

Cold hardiness

Heat tolerance

Where this plant fits

What it needs

Lifecycle

Pollination

For people

Native range

Climate notes

In the designer

Sources & citations