An easy-care plant full of golden yellow to creamy yellow flowers, the golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria) is a summer-flowering perennial good for cooler climates.

Use in the front or middle of a border garden, and combine it with other vigorous perennials that will hold their own against this resilient plant. Good companions include bee balm (Monarda spp.), lambs' ears (Stachys byzantina), and lavender (Lavandula spp.). Golden Marguerite's yellow blooms are attractive with blue, violet, and other yellow flowers.
 

Plant Facts
Common name: Golden Marguerite, oxeye chamomile
Botanical name: Anthemis tinctoria
Plant type: Perennial
Height: 24 to 36 inches
Zones: 3 to 7
Family: Asteraceae

Growing conditions

  • Sun: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained is best; avoid wet, soggy areas.
  • Moisture: Moderate


Care

  • Pruning: Cut back after initial flowering to extend flowering later into the summer.
  • Fertilizer: None required in average soil. If necessary, use a balanced fertilizer in the spring.


Garden Notes

  • In better soils, golden Marguerite may need staking.
  • Some of the chamomiles, especially Anthemis tinctoria, self-sow easily, so cut spent flowers to prevent unwanted seedlings from sprouting in the garden.
  • Divide every two to three years.
  • To discourage powdery mildew on foliage, plant golden Marguerite where there is good air circulation.
  • Golden Marguerite can be short-lived on poorly drained, clay soil.

Cultivars

  • ‘Susanna Mitchell', pictured above, (possibly a hybrid of both A. tinctoria and A. punctata subsp.cupaniana) has a mounding habit good for rock gardens or flower borders. Its fernlike, gray foliage is topped with white flowers with deep yellow centers. Lightly prune after the first flowering to keep it compact and encourage more flowering. Zones 3 to 7.
  • ‘Grallach Gold' has pale yellow blooms and grows 24 to 36 inches tall. Zones 3 to 7.
  • ‘Kelwayi' has yellow flowers and grows 24 inches tall. Zones 3 to 7

.
Pests and diseases

  • Slugs and aphids occasionally attack the plant.
  • Fungal diseases may occur on the foliage.
  • Propagation
  • Start seeds in a cold frame in the spring.
  • Divide plants in spring.


All in the family

  • Anthemis marschalliana (A. bierbersteiniana) is a mat-forming perennial with attractive silver foliage and ½ -inch, yellow flowers. It grows just 8 to 18 inches tall and flowers most of the summer when you cut spent flowers. Zones 7 to 9.
  • The 12-inch-tall A. punctata subsp. cupaniana is a dwarf chamomile with mat-forming, gray-green foliage and white flowers that bloom in early summer. Zones 6 to 9.
  • A. sancti-johannis has gray leaves and orange blooms. It grows 24 to 36 inches tall. Zones 3 to 8.


Text by Mary Pestel, photo courtesy of Blooms of Bressingham