Matricaria chamomilla

German chamomile

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Not Native

German chamomile is a naturalized annual herb found in the Sierra Nevada foothills along disturbed roadsides at elevations around 100 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces white ray flowers 7 to 8.5 millimeters long with a white center, creating delicate daisy-like heads 5 to 9 millimeters in diameter. Growing 10 to 60 centimeters tall with often branched stems near the top, it is strongly aromatic with a distinctive scent. Its leaves are sessile, glabrous, and up to 8 centimeters long, divided into fine, feathery segments. The plant forms spherical flower heads that shatter at maturity, leaving behind small ribbed fruits.

Habitat: Disturbed roadsides

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: +- 100 m.

Bioregions: SNF

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Madera, Sonoma, San Mateo, Yolo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.