Download Species fact sheet

Species
fact sheet
Chamomile
Chamaemelum nobile
Chamomile is a member of the daisy family
(Asteraceae). It is a ground-hugging, creeping,
downy herb with finely divided glaucous-green
leaves. The large daisy-like flowers with an outer
ring of white ray florets surrounding a central yellow
disk or cone are 18-25 mm across with each stem
supporting one flower-head. The crushed leaves
smell strongly of chamomile or (to some people)
apple. Chamomile tea is used as a herbal remedy
to treat fever, headaches, indigestion and to aid
relaxation and sleep.
© Bob Gibbbons / Plantlife
Lifecycle
Chamomile is a perennial, flowering from June to October.
Habitat
It is a species most frequently found in herb-rich, closelygrazed, mildly acidic grassland with a long continuity
of traditional grazing. It is chiefly associated with
commonland, village greens and coastal cliff pasture.
Many of its sites are wet in the winter and they may
support other rare plant species such as yellow centaury
Cicendia filiformis. It prefers the mild climate of southern
England where it is often found close to the coast.
Distribution
Chamomile distribution across Britain
and Ireland
The data used to create these maps has
been provided under licence from the
Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland
(BSBI) and accessed from the Society’s online
distribution database.
A native species formerly widely scattered through
southern and central England. The species has declined
dramatically – particularly across the northern and
eastern parts of its range – and today is largely confined
to the New Forest; the Thames Basin and Wealden heaths;
commons on Purbeck; and Devon and Cornwall. Within
the Dorset heathlands, a 90% decline was witnessed in
the 60 year period from the 1930s. The species does,
nevertheless, remain relatively abundant in certain
areas, notably the New Forest, Dartmoor, the Lizard and
the Cornish and Devon coasts. In Wales chamomile is
restricted to a few localities; damp grassy-heaths on
Gower and the Pembrokeshire coast, Anglesey and the
Lleyn Peninsular. Chamomile does grow in south-west
Ireland and is a native of Northern Ireland, although there
are no recent records of native populations. Apart from
introduced populations, chamomile is absent
from Scotland.
Species
fact sheet
Chamomile
Chamaemelum nobile
Habitat management for chamomile
Traditionally chamomile grew on tightly-grazed village greens, pond
edges and commons, especially where farmers raised geese and ducks.
Conservation work for this species includes reinstating cattle and pony
grazing where this practice has been discontinued and avoiding the use
of artificial fertilisers and herbicides. Targeted scrub control can help
rejuvenate populations as chamomile dislikes heavy shade. Little is
known about the seed longevity of this species but there is some evidence
that it can regenerate from a soil seed bank if the right germination
conditions are present.
In the absence of grazing, trampling and mowing can maintain
populations – a number of those surviving in south-east England
are found on tightly mown cricket pitches, and on garden lawns.
Nevertheless, where grazing has been reinstated and the species still
survives within a particular ecological unit, chamomile can re-colonise
lost ground rapidly. Reverting pasture to heathland and restoration of
extensive grazing on the Lizard heathlands during the 1970s and 1980s
has seen a massive increase in some populations of chamomile, for
example on Kynance Downs. On some coastal grasslands, chamomile
populations can be maintained purely through the harshness of
the conditions caused by salt spray, wind pruning/exposure and the
thinness of soils restricting other vegetative cover.
Chamomile traditionally grew on tightly-grazed village greens, pond edges and commons.
Reinstating pony grazing can help create conditions for it to thrive.
GB Status and rarity
It is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ in The
Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great
Britain 2005 because of the magnitude of
its decline. Chamomile is considered to be
a good indicator species for lowland acid
grassland and heath mosaic habitat.
Reasons for decline
Local threats affect individual sites from
large scale mineral extraction to small
scale road and track improvements have
the potential to destroy or adversely
affect local populations. However, the
principal threat remains the cessation
or relaxation of traditional grazing by
cattle and ponies with the consequent
loss of the short turf required by this
species. Agricultural improvement
such as fertilising pasture, draining wet
grassland, re-seeding with more vigorous
grass varieties is also a significant
threat. Conversion of some sites to
arable irreparably destroys chamomile
populations.
Protection under the law
This plant is included as a species “of
principal importance for the purpose of
conserving biodiversity” under Section 41
(England) of the Natural Environment and
Rural Communities Act 2006.
Survey method
Chamomile is a creeping clump forming
perennial, and individual plants are
difficult to distinguish. Expansion and
contraction of clumps and changes in the
extent of populations should be monitored.
© John Spooner/Creative Commons BY-NC
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