Last updated on September 26th, 2022 at 11:39 am
If you have Chamomile in your garden, you’ll most likely know that the little white flowers of the chamomile plant are a beauty to behold. Moreover, the plant itself is a low-growing, a self-seeding plant found all year round in the garden.
All the varieties of this plant have a self-sowing ability which means that, even without being replanted, a new chamomile plant can resprout and regrow in the exact spot as an old plant.
Unfortunately, this ability usually does not clarify whether the Chamomile is a perennial or just another annual grower.
Is Chamomile annual, biennial, or perennial? . Chamomile is, in general, a short-lived plant and is mostly a perennial in zones without frosty weather climates. The lifespan of a chamomile plant depends on the variety planted and the hardiness of the variety to the zone in which you produced it. Some types which are perennial in some zones can be grown as annuals in other zones
Is Chamomile a Perennial in Zone 5?
The weather climates in the different zones of the US differ. Each zone is warmer than its preceding zone, with a difference of ten degrees Fahrenheit.
Before plunging into raising Chamomile or including them in your herb garden, it would be wise to know all about the hardiness of Chamomile in your zone.
Chamomile thrives best within the temperature range of 60-60 degrees Fahrenheit. It loves to bask in full sun. Its best days are those long summer days with warm weather.
It can tolerate any amount of heat below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also cold-hardy as it can withstand frosty weather as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now, zone 5 (USDA) has a temperature range of -10 to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if you happen to be an habitant on zone 5 who wishes to indulge in chamomile planting, you might begin to wonder if you can grow Chamomile as a perennial.
Well, Chamomile is hardy to zone 5, which means it can survive its climate conditions.
However, to grow the herb as a perennial, you should employ glass domes/cloches or heavy mulches to provide an alternative source of warmth for the herb.
Zone 5 encompasses New York, Alaska, Washington DC, Nebraska, and South Dakota. If you live in any of these states mentioned above, do not plant Chamomile any later than September to prevent it from affecting the first frost.
Is Chamomile a Perennial in Zone 6?
Zone 6 is 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than zone 5, making it more conducive for Chamomile than zone 5. Some perennials in zone 6 are grown in zone 5 as annuals.
Research shows that the temperature range of zone 6 varies between -10 to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Zone 6 includes Queensland’s coast up north of Cains, Cape York peninsula, and the coasts of the northern territory.
Perennials in zone 6 should be grown from mid-march through to mid-November. The best time for planting perennial flowers is during spring and fall. During the spring season, you have warmer and sunnier days which help flowers bloom.
Now, to answer the question, Chamomile can be grown as a perennial in zone 6. However, it would still be necessary to employ the use of glass domes and cloches.
Chamomile is hardy to zone 6, true, but zone 6 falls short of the temperature requirements for growing the plant, hence the need for a substitute source of warmth.
Is Chamomile a Perennial in Zone 7?
Just like zone 6 is 10 degrees warmer than zone 5, zone 7 is also warmer than zone six, with a difference of 10 degrees. There are zone 7 regions in up to 28 states in the US.
Some of these regions include Southern Oklahoma, southern New Mexico, southern Utah, and some western parts of Nevada.
Zone 7 has low latitude, and this makes it an excellent place to live as a gardener. Vegetable gardens in zone 7 should not be grown too early in spring or too late in fall. The end of September is an ideal plant to begin growing perennials here.
No state has just one zone. However, the difference in topography and climate conditions leads to the convergence of different zones in a single state.
Chamomile can be grown as a perennial in zone 7 even without using a glass dome or cloche. This is because zone 7 meets up the temperature requirements for growing the herb.
Which Chamomile Plant Is a Perennial?
The lifespan of the different varieties of Chamomile does differ. While some are perennials, others are annual; in general, Chamomile is a short-lived plant.
While there are over one hundred varieties of the chamomile plant, only two are majorly cultivated for commercial purposes; Roman Chamomile and German Chamomile.
Both look similar, though German Chamomile is taller. Both are sweet-smelling, both contain Chamazulene, an essential oil, although German Chamomile has a higher percentage.
1. German Chamomile
This variety is native to Europe and Asia. German Chamomile is a vibrant self-sower; it does not spread out. Instead, it grows upright and tall, reaching a height of 60cm.
It is twice as tall as the Roman Chamomile. It has a fragrance similar to the smell of sweet straw. The German Chamomile is considered an annual, but this does not mean it dies off completely after one year.
On the contrary, being an aggressive self sower, a new plant is sure to re-sprout in the garden when it encounters favorable conditions, although not necessarily in the same spot as the old plant.
2. Roman Chamomile
It can also be referred to as Russian Chamomile, although native to North Africa and Western Europe. Unlike the German Chamomile, it does not grow upright. It grows instead as a low ground cover, with its height reaching 30cm.
Both German Chamomile and Roman Chamomile are self-seeders. Still, Roman Chamomile has been considered the perennial variety as a new plant regrows from the exact spot as an old one.
Conclusion
Chamomile does not require much soil nutrients, it can grow on almost any kind of soil provided that it is given adequate warmth and soil drainage.
The most determinant factor for the good yield of a chamomile plant is the weather conditions and climate of the zones in which you planted it. Chamomile is hardy to zones 4-9.
Out of over a hundred different plant varieties, only two are referred to as primary varieties; German Chamomile and Roman Chamomile. German Chamomile is considered annual, while Roman Chamomile is deemed to be perennial.
A chamomile plan is short-lived, but it can be grown perennial in zones free from frost and terrible winters.
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