Cota tinctoria
Dyer's chamomile
Common names: Golden marguerite, Yellow chamomile
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Pot size
- from 10 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Jun–Sep
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −25 °C
- Water need
- Low
- Origin
- Native to Germany
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Dyer's chamomile, botanically Cota tinctoria, is a perennial wildflower that grows in Central Europe on sunny roadsides, embankments, and railway embankments. Its finely feathered, grey-green leaves form a loose bushy clump, above which golden yellow flower heads stand from June to September on stems 40 to 60 cm tall. The flowers resemble yellow daisies and measure 3 to 4 cm across. In the past, the flowers were used to dye wool yellow, which gave the plant its name. Wild bees, hoverflies, and beetles readily visit it. In the garden, it suits a sunny perennial bed, a gravel bed, a flower meadow, and containers. Popular cultivars are 'Kelwayi', with a strong golden yellow colour, and 'Sauce Hollandaise', with a creamy white colour. The plant is short-lived, often lasting 3 to 4 years, but it reliably self-seeds. For meadow planting, use regional seed mixes.
Care instructions
Plant Dyer's chamomile in spring or autumn in a full sun, warm position with well-drained, lean soil, and allow about 40 cm of spacing. In the first year, water during dry spells; later, it manages with rainfall. No fertiliser is needed. After the first flush in July, cut back the spent stems by about one third, and it will rebloom into autumn. In early spring, cut the whole plant back to about 10 cm to keep it compact. To keep it longer, divide it every 2 to 3 years. If you leave the seed heads standing, it will self-seed. Common mistakes are waterlogging, rich soil, and shade, which cause it to grow leggy and short-lived.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingApr–May
FloweringJun–Sep
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 8 °C, ideally 18 °C
- Days to sprout
- 10 to 21 days
- Light
- Needs light to sprout
- Sowing depth
- Press in, don't cover
- How to start
- Start indoors, then plant out
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, lean, sandy, dry
In the wild, dyer’s chamomile grows on dry, poor soils along verges, banks and railway embankments. It needs a sunny, free-draining soil; sandy or stony loam is ideal, neutral to slightly calcareous. Waterlogging, especially in winter, is its greatest enemy; on heavy soil, mix in plenty of sand or grit. In rich soil it grows leggy, flops over and lives even shorter.
Feeding
Light feeder
Dyer’s chamomile needs no fertiliser. On poor soil it stays compact, flowers richly and lasts longer. Nutrient-rich soil makes it leggy and soft, so it flops and flowers less. In a pot too, it is enough to swap the top layer of soil for fresh, free-draining soil in spring.
Overwintering
Dyer’s chamomile is hardy but does not tolerate winter wet. In the bed there is nothing to do except make sure the soil is free-draining. Stand pots on feet against a sheltered house wall so that no water collects, and protect the root ball with fleece in hard frost. Leave old shoots standing over winter and cut them back in early spring.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Division
- Cuttings
The easiest way to propagate dyer’s chamomile is by sowing. In April and May, scatter the seeds directly on the bed or in pots, press them down only and do not cover them, because they germinate in the light. The first seedlings appear after about 2 weeks. If you want to keep a particular colour, divide the plant in spring or insert shoot tips in seed compost in early summer, as seedlings can vary. Older plants can be rejuvenated every 2 to 3 years by dividing them. The species also self-seeds freely.
Companion planting
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Dyer's chamomile yourself
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