Anthemis sancti-johannis

Anthemis sancti-johannis is a perennial plant of Bulgarian origin, and one of the hardiest in its genus. Very floriferous and full of natural beauty, it offers abundant flowering from June to September, with beautiful bright yellow-orange heads, with a more yellow centre. It has an upright and slightly loose habit and fine dark green, somewhat greyish foliage, which is evergreen in mild climates. This simple plant, a cousin of chamomile, appreciates well-drained, rocky, sandy, poor soils, even occasionally dry, and is not afraid of summer heat. In every way, it is a superb and generous plant that will enhance your sunny flower beds and rockeries, as well as your bouquets.

Anthemis sancti-johannis is also known as orange chamomile or St. John's chamomile. This short-lived perennial belongs to the Asteraceae family and is native to the mountains of Bulgaria, where it survives very low temperatures of around -30°C (-22°F). It will reach a medium height of 40 to 60cm (16 to 4in). Its growth is rapid, forming clumps 50cm (20in) wide. Flowering takes place from July to September, if faded flowers are regularly removed. The heads resemble pretty daisies, 5cm (2in) wide, with a dark yellow centre and bright orange-yellow ray florets. The stems are often ramified, with green bipinnately-lobed leaves with a whitish and villous underside. The aromatic foliage is mostly deciduous. It is dark green and somewhat greyish, with a resemblance to ferns.

Being sun lovers par excellence, anthemis fear excess humidity in winter more than anything else. Forming spectacular rounded clumps in a very short time, orange chamomile looks stunning when paired with blue-flowered plants such as perennial flax, chicory, bugloss, or borage. It can be very useful for starting a new garden after construction work. It can be planted in wildflower beds alongside simple flowers such as snapdragons, wallflowers, lupins, or common sage, as well as in well-maintained flower beds, rockeries, borders, and even in a cutting garden. Its foliage pairs well with grey-leaved plants like wormwood and old-fashioned roses.