Leaf
Michel RougÉ, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
German chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla L.
Also known as: Scented mayweed, Wild chamomile, Camomile
Family: Asteraceae
20 to 50 cm
Crops, wasteland, path edges
Flowering: May – September
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -10°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The yellow centre of the flower head is hollow and conical — check by cutting it in half.
🍃 Leaves
Very finely cut, almost thread-like
🌸 Flowers
White flower head with a conical, hollow yellow centre, highly scented
🍎 Fruits
Tiny achenes without a pappus
🪵 Bark
Upright, branched herbaceous stem
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; common in France in crops and on waste ground
🐝 Value for pollinators
Small white and yellow flower heads rich in nectar, visited by bees and hoverflies
✂️ Horticultural uses
Grown for its dried flowers used in infusions, sometimes sown along vegetable plot edges
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity
🌿 Other Asteraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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