Saturday, October 8, 2011

Anthemis tinctoria

Anthemis tinctoria  
Ox-eye daisy or Dyer's chamomile
This is a terrific ground cover with soft grey ferny foliage and upright daisy flowers on tall stems which are long enough to make it a good cut flower. It is in full flower at the moment and covering a good square metre of ground as a weed suppressing mat. Putting an exact cultivar name to this one has proved difficult for me as the three forms with their pale creamy flowers are markedly similar. These are Anthemis x 'Sauce Hollandaise' , A. x 'Susanah Mitchell' and A. x Mrs E.C. Buxton'. The original species has canary yellow flowers and is very bright. They all like well drained average garden soil in sun or part shade and can take a good cut back with a spade to keep them in check when they get a bit unruly. Alternatively side shoots with roots attached can be replanted if the whole plant is looking a little burnt out. It is hardy across a range of climates and very quick growing.

1 comment:

  1. Awesome plant! I can attest to the fact that it is hardy across a fairly wide range of climates, having grown it for several years in Michigan, very it braves very cold winters and hot, dry summers and flowers virtually all summer and fall.

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