Chamomile: Diseases and Remedies (3-minute Read)

NOTE: The terms Chamomile and Matricaria recutita are identical in this text; in reality, Matricaria recutita is Chamomile’s biological word.

It’s as pretty as it is useful, and that’s why it’s a unique herb. Most gardeners don’t know that there are two types of common chamomile: German and Roman. Both are native to Europe and can be found in herbal remedies, beverages, and skincare interchangeably. Both boast fragrant, daisy-like flowers with white petals surrounding a yellow center.

Why does my Matricaria recutita roots have rot?

If left untreated, root rot on your Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Chamomile

Why does my Chamomile have gray mold spots?

A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.

Our Solution

The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Matricaria recutita. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.

Why does my Chamomile have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Chamomile owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Chamomile leaves turning yellow?

This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.

Whether you think your plants are getting too much water, cut back on how often you water them, and take the following measures to see if they might be nutritionally deficient:

Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Matricaria recutita in question, here’s how to spot them:

  • Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
  • Yellowing between leaf veins is another sign of iron shortage, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are initially affected.
  • Sulfur shortage first affects the youngest leaves, turning them entirely yellow.
  • Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
  • A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.

Our Solution

You only need to act in accordance with the symptoms listed above. You can address a potassium or nitrogen deficiency by buying a particular soil, and a gardening store consultant will be able to advise you on how to do that. Furthermore, you can also limit how frequently you water your plants.

Is my Chamomile sunburned?

You can easily tell if your Chamomile (your Matricaria recutita) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

As we saw above, if your Chamomile receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.

To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.

Why are my Chamomile leaves turning brown?

The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.

Should I leave my Matricaria recutita in direct sunlight?

No! Don’t leave your Matricaria recutita (or Chamomile) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.

Our Solution

The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Chamomile out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.

Why are my Matricaria recutita leaves drooping or wilting ?

When you become dehydrated, this usually happens. Large plants are more vulnerable since they need more water on a regular basis than smaller plants.

Drooping

You may quickly determine if your Matricaria recutita plant needs water by under-weighing its pot; if it seems light, the soil and roots are probably fairly dry and require water.

Our Solution

If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Chamomile right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.

This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Matricaria recutita

Water Occasionally

Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.

You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It’s also a good idea to keep your Matricaria recutita at a constant temperature, especially if it’s kept indoors. In general, at GreenShack, we suggest booking a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, keep your Matricaria recutita away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.

Keep your Chamomile Dust-Free

This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.

For your Chamomile, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.

To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)

Keep drainage in mind

If you tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.

You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).