Missdipsy's Garden
Anthemis tinctoria 'Kelwayi'
Genus: Anthemis.
Species: Anthemis tinctoria.
aka yellow chamomile
aromatic, bright green, fine lacy feathery foliage.
bright attractive yellow daisy-like terminal flowers on long thin angular stems, blooming in profusion during the summer. (there is a white flowering form also but the most commonly grown form is the seed raised cultivar 'Kelwayi' which has 5 cm wide, yellow flowers on 65 cm plants)
no culinary or commercial uses and only limited medicinal uses, but produces dyes.
prefer full sun. Good drainage is very important. relatively drought-tolerant once established.
Dead-heading helps prolong the bloom period and cutting back hard once flower production slows will encourage the growth of fresh new foliage to finish out the season.
Propagation: Sow seed in containers in early spring; divide plants in spring; root cuttings in spring or late summer. Divide every two years.
Problems: Mildew rarely occurs, but plants are slug and aphid prone.
Time to plant seeds: March to May
Time to divide plants: March to May
Flowering period: June to August
Prolific plants for a sunny well-drained border, covered in masses of pale, yellow, single daisy-like flowers throughout the main summer season. Pale varieties like 'E.C. Buxton' are easier to team with other colours than bright golds, since they go as well with pastel shades as with hot, bright colours. Use towards the front of a medium to large herbaceous border or island bed, where the plants receive as much sun as possible - they do not enjoy growing in the shade of other plants.
This hardy Marguerite is a sturdy, very easily grown plant. It is about 1 foot or 1 1/2 feet high, very bushy, with finely cut foliage somewhat resembling the Pyrethrums, and bears Daisy-like, yellow flowers in great profusion from June until Fall. The colors range from purest white to a rich yellow. Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi is the best one for gardens because it has a particularly long flowering season. Its flowers are yellow. A. montana, a form of A. tinctoria, has creamy white flowers.
UTILIZE. The golden Marguerites are splendid when planted in masses and are most excellent for hot dry places. Some of the dwarf forms are used in rockwork. They are used for cut flowers to a great extent.
GENERAL. These flowers will grow in almost any kind of soil; in fact, they will succeed in the poorest clay soil. They like a sunny location, although they will bloom in partial shade. The plants should be divided often as they grow and spread very rapidly. It must be frankly admitted that they are apt to overrun a small garden.
PROPAGATION. They are easily grown from seed or by division of the roots.
