St. John's Chamomile Marguerite Daisy

St. John’s Chamomile is a short-lived, clump-forming perennial with finely divided, fragrant gray-green foliage and upright stems of bright orange daisy-like flowers in summer. It brings a warm, informal accent to sunny borders, banks, and wildlife plantings, where its fine leaves contrast with broader foliage. ## Identity and garden use Kew accepts *Cota tinctoria* subsp. *sancti-johannis* and lists *Anthemis sancti-johannis* as a synonym; the RHS profile uses the accepted *Cota* name and identifies St. John’s Chamomile as a clump-forming perennial. The live epithet “St. John’s Chamomile” is a common name for this taxon, not a separately verified cultivar, so the botanical fields use the accepted taxon. The [Kew taxon page](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:70028991-1) and [RHS profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/519784/cota-tinctoria-subsp-sancti-johannis/details) support this identification. ## Siting Plant in full sun and well-drained soil; RHS lists chalk, loam, and sand among suitable soil types. Its short-lived habit is best suited to a mixed border where replacement seedlings or nearby perennials can maintain coverage. ## Maintenance After flowering, cut back the old stems to encourage fresh basal growth. Check drainage and water new plants while they establish; avoid translating UK hardiness ratings directly into a USDA zone.