Sicilian chamomile

Sun

Full sun; flowering and compact growth are best in an open position.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Established plants need watering mainly during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained, preferably gritty or sandy soil; tolerates poor soil and alkaline conditions. Avoid heavy, waterlogged ground.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Spring to early summer, sometimes repeating later after trimming; white daisy flowers with yellow centres.

Foliage

Evergreen. Finely divided, aromatic, silver-grey leaves on a low, spreading framework of stems.

Growth

Moderate to fast in a sunny, well-drained site.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.33 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.2 ft (0.36 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant in spring in colder districts so roots establish before winter.
• Water new plants during dry spells; reduce watering once they are established.
• Avoid rich feeding, which encourages soft, floppy growth.
• Use a thin gravel mulch rather than moisture-holding mulch against the crown.
• Grow in a raised bed or container if winter drainage is poor.

Pruning. Lightly shear after the main flush of flowers to remove spent stems and keep the mound compact; this may encourage more flowers. In spring, remove frost-damaged shoots, but avoid cutting hard into bare old wood.

Spring

Plant into freely draining soil and water thoroughly; remove winter-damaged growth from established plants.

Late spring

Check young plants during dry weather and water at soil level when needed.

Early summer

Lightly shear after the main flowering flush to tidy the plant and encourage fresh growth.

Summer

Take non-flowering shoot cuttings to raise replacement plants.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the crown and check that water drains away freely.

Winter

Avoid routine watering outdoors; move containers into a sheltered position during severe cold.

• Plant along a sunny border edge, where the silver foliage provides a low contrast to darker plants.
• Let it spill over a retaining wall or raised-bed edge to soften hard surfaces.
• Combine with lavender, rockroses and small ornamental grasses in a gravel garden.
• Use its white flowers among blue and purple blooms in a dry cottage-style border.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Cottage garden, Coastal, White garden and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: English lavender, Rosemary, Rockrose, Catmint, Lamb's ears and Blue fescue.

Wildlife: The open daisy flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees, hoverflies and other small insects.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised bed; discard badly rotted plants.
• Winter dieback: choose a sheltered, sunny site and remove dead shoots in spring once new growth is visible.
• Floppy, open growth in shade or rich soil: provide full sun, stop feeding and trim lightly after flowering.
• Aphids on soft shoots: wash them off with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but species-specific safety information is limited. Contact with the foliage or flowers may irritate people sensitive to the daisy family. Do not use it as a substitute for culinary chamomile or make tea from it.

• Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)

  Roman chamomile forms a much lower, greener mat with small flowers and apple-scented foliage; Sicilian chamomile has silvery leaves, a woody base and larger daisies.

• Marguerite (Argyranthemum frutescens)

  Marguerite usually makes a taller, more upright shrub with coarser green or grey-green leaves; Sicilian chamomile forms a lower, spreading silver mound.

• Yellow chamomile (Cota tinctoria)

  Yellow chamomile usually has entirely yellow flowers and more upright, herbaceous stems, rather than white rays above a spreading evergreen framework.

Sicilian chamomile comes from Sicily, and the name cupaniana honours the Sicilian botanist Francesco Cupani.

Propagation. Take softwood or semi-ripe cuttings from non-flowering shoots in late spring or summer. Root them in a gritty propagation mix with protection from strong sun and excess moisture.

Accepted botanical name

Anthemis cupaniana Anthemis punctata subsp. cupaniana is an older name for Anthemis cupaniana.

Native range

Sicilia.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.