<em>Anthemis</em>: planting and care

Description and botany

Anthemis belong to family Asteraceae. Genus Anthemis now comprises nearly two hundred species of annuals and perennials native to Mediterranean Basin and Asia Minor, although range extends as far as southern Scandinavia. Dyer’s anthémis, for example, has been naturalized in Great Britain and United States. They flower freely in late spring and summer. It seems necessary to give some nomenclature details to specify precisely which plants this article covers: Species offered under this genus name are very hardy, such as Anthemis tinctoria, also called dyer’s chamomile, resistant to -30 °C, and are deciduous or evergreen. Species native to Canary Islands and Madeira, tender and sold as annual undershrubs, now belong to genus Argyranthemum even though they continue to be called Anthémis or tree daisy in common usage. They have also borne names such as Chrysanthemum frutescens and Pyrethrum frutescens. True Anthemis are commonly known by names such as “dyer’s chamomile” (A. tinctoria) or “false chamomile”, noting that true chamomile used as herbal tea is now included in genus Chamaemelum.

Anthemis are perennials with a spreading habit and stems that become somewhat ramified and untidy with age, though some species form a compact cushion habit. Growth may be evergreen or deciduous. Foliage is aromatic, with a strong smell considered unpleasant in Anthemis cotula; it is alternate, single but finely divided (pinnatisect), sometimes tomentose which gives a silvery hue and improves drought resistance.

Anthemis tinctoria – botanical illustration

St John’s anthémis (A. sancti-johannis) thus forms a bushy tuft with a loose habit and feathery dark green foliage tinged grey. Anthemis cupaniana has felted, more or less grey foliage reminiscent of artemisia and forms large compact cushions up to 60 cm across and 20–30 cm high.

Flowering of Anthemis is a head-type inflorescence of medium size (2 to 4 cm in A. tinctoria), , usually white, cream, yellow or even orange (A. sancti-johannis), with a often large, contrasting central disc as in Anthemis ‘Moonlight’. The radiating ligulate flowers, resembling petals ending with three small teeth, are female flowers that attract pollinating insects and serve as landing platforms. Tubular flowers in centre of head are hermaphrodite and present one pistil and five stamens. After insect pollination they become an achene without egret, 2–4 mm long.

Anthemis flowers, especially among hybrids, are well suited to making bouquets. They are very nectariferous and attract both bees and butterflies.

Dyer’s anthémis, also called dyer’s cota, was used to produce a yellow dye. Found at low altitudes between 0 and 1,600 m from France to Turkey, and in Caucasus and Iran, it has now become widely naturalized in North America.

Name Anthemis comes from Greek anthemon meaning “flowering”.

Main varieties of Anthemis

Varieties for borders

Compact varieties

Anthemis tinctoria Sauce Hollandaise - Marguerite

Beautiful perennial chamomile, very floriferous, bushy, with solitary very pale yellow flowers turning to cream-white with yellow centre.

• Flowering time July to October
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Anthemis tinctoria E.C. Buxton - Marguerite

This false chamomile or dyer's chamomile is a horticultural form with curly green foliage, finely divided, from which emerges a multitude of small soft-yellow daisies for four months. Very hardy, easy to grow, ideal in rock gardens or on very sunny embankments.

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Anthemis tinctoria Wargrave Variety - Marguerite

This tall deciduous perennial herbaceous plant, slightly more vigorous than E.C. Buxton, bears aromatic curly green foliage, finely divided, covered with a multitude of small daisies in pale yellow tones. Very hardy, easy to grow, ideal in rock gardens or on very sunny embankments.

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 70 cm

See the product sheet

Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi - Marguerite

Hardy undershrub that unfurls grey-green fennel-like foliage, from which emerges a multitude of bright small daisies, vivid yellow with dark yellow centre. Very hardy, easy to grow in well-drained soil, and neat in appearance, this perennial is ideal in rock gardens or on slopes.

• Flowering time June to October
• Height at maturity 70 cm

See the product sheet

Anthemis sancti-johannis

St John's Anthemis, originating from Bulgaria, is one of the hardiest in the genus. Abundant yellow-orange heads light up the dark grey-green clump, which has a very loose, natural habit. Perfect for filling gaps within a sunny border or rockery in well-drained, poor soil, even occasionally dry.

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Anthemis carpatica Karpatenschnee - Marguerite

This chamomile forms a mat-forming cushion with finely cut green-and-silver foliage, which in spring and summer is adorned with an abundance of small white daisies with yellow centre. Derived from a rare species, it is excellent in borders, in pots, or in rockeries. Easy to grow in poor, rather dry soil.

• Flowering time June to September
• Height at maturity 15 cm

See the product sheet

 

Planting

Where to plant Anthemis?

Use a slope or rockery receiving more than 6 hours’ sun a day, in conditions where soil drains well to plant Anthemis. Slightly acidic, neutral or calcareous soil suits Anthemis perfectly. Sun-loving above all, Anthemis especially dislike excess winter moisture, which shortens lifespan. Cold hardiness is greater when soil is dry. In shade, Anthemis rarely survive more than two years.

When to plant?

Plant preferably in September or March–April.

How to plant?

This plant is very easy for beginners, even on gravelly, poor, dry soil.

• Plunge the bucket into a bucket of water to moisten it well.
• Dig a hole three times wider than the rootball and loosen soil around with tines of a digging fork.
• Add a few handfuls of sand and gravel to ensure good drainage around roots. In heavy soil, choose planting on a mound or within a rockery.
• Add half a shovelful of potting compost or well-rotted compost if soil is really poor. Anthemis tinctoria appreciates good garden soil to flower for a long time but loses vigour after about 2 years so it is preferable to renew plant as with snapdragons or sweet William.
• Place plant in planting hole.
• Replace soil and firm lightly.
• Water well and deeply.

Clump of Anthemis carpatica ‘Karpatenschnee’ in rockery

Caring for Anthemis

• Don’t hesitate to pinch stem tips when they reach 20 cm tall to thicken plant.
• Water regularly during first year to encourage good establishment of young plant.
• Then simply give a shear cut at about 20 cm above soil at end of flowering. Do not wait beyond early September so clump can heal well and re-establish by end of season. A light flowering sometimes occurs in autumn.
• Let some stems go to seed to ensure plant’s progeny.
• Lightly cultivate soil around to remove weeds and add a spadeful of compost in spring.
• Anthemis are sometimes attacked by aphids. Simply crush a few infested stems and leave remainder for hoverflies and ladybirds that will feast on them.

Propagation

The simplest propagation method is to divide the clump in spring or autumn for Anthemis cupaniana, or to take stem cuttings during summer months, especially for Anthemis tinctoria.

Propagation by cuttings

Prepare a deep bucket by filling it with potting compost mixed with sand.

• Take 10 cm long stem tips.
• Remove leaves near base of cutting.
• Insert them to two‑thirds of their length, ensuring they do not touch.
• Firm compost gently around each cutting to remove air pockets and ensure good contact between potting compost and cutting.
• Place them in a covered, humid spot in a bright position.
• In autumn, separate rooted cuttings and plant them in buckets, keeping them under cold frame until spring.
• Plant out in spring in open ground.

Dividing clumps

Clear soil around roots with a hand hoe, then drive a sharp spade into centre of clump to separate into divisions.

Uses and associations

With their country charm and low requirements, don’t hesitate to use Anthemis to quickly flower poor ground, particularly following disturbance by construction machinery. They are pioneer plants that establish easily in open sites, on fallow land or within dry meadows, associated with dry-ground plants such as salvias, borage, poppies, cornflowers, snapdragons, wallflowers… Anthemis can be very useful for starting a brand-new garden. Anthemis fits equally well into country-style borders, more formal flowerbeds, rockeries or as an edging plant, and even in flower gardens for cutting.

An idea for a sunny border combination: Anthemis tinctoria ‘Sauce Hollandaise’, Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’, Rose ‘The Pilgrim’ and Nepeta faassenii ‘Six Hills Giant’

Their foliage pairs well with grey-leaved plants such as artemisias, santolina, Nepeta or lavender, and with old roses.

To create a vibrant scene, pair the golden yellow of dyer’s chamomile ‘E.C Buxton’, capable of forming spectacular rounded clumps in very little time, or the orange of Anthemis sancti-jovi, with blue flowers such as perennial flax, chicory, bugloss, borage.

Cretan chamomile ‘Karpatenschnee‘ forms a compact, very floriferous groundcover, ideal within a rockery dotted with small cushions of silenes, armerias, saxifrages, Artemisia ‘Boughton Silver’, thymes, but also as an edging or in containers combined with bulbs. This species does not like limestone, unlike Anthemis cupaniana. The latter, which has delicately scented, soft-to-the-touch foliage, can adorn stone steps, a hardy pot as well as slopes of a rocky bank.

→ Discover other pairing ideas with Anthemis in our advice sheet