As lawns fall out of fashion, eco-friendly grass alternatives are becoming more popular. With plenty of options to choose from, it’s important to pick the right one. Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) can be a great option for people with a sunny location and light soil. Mind you, this isn’t the chamomile you will find in your teacup. Instead, it’s a low-growing, creeping species that is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. But you may want to know the difference between Roman and German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla). One of the nice things about using chamomile as a lawn replacement is enjoying its daisy-like flowers; however, those flowers don’t hold up to heavy foot traffic. In fact, chamomile’s growth can become patchy under too many feet. 

Additionally, chamomile can be picky about soil. It wants light soils but not rocky or sandy and needs some moisture. This means that during prolonged dry spells, or even in areas with free-draining soil and little rainfall, you may need to supplement by watering. If you grow a chamomile lawn in shadier areas, it may become sparse. Cold or wet winters will also cause these plants to struggle, and even under the best conditions, the centers may die as they age. When you find your lawn is not growing densely, you may develop a weed problem. While this is true of many types of lawns, weeding by hand is the preferred solution with chamomile, which means a lot of potential maintenance to keep your lawn thriving.

If you’re looking for a tough lawn replacement to grow in heavily traveled areas, chamomile may not be a great option. However, if you expect more moderate foot traffic, consider using ‘Treneague’ chamomile, which does not flower. Even with this option, there are more potential downsides to think about. For instance, if you have an existing lawn and won’t be starting from scratch, there’s something else to keep in mind. Grass will out-compete chamomile, so you must remove the old grass entirely before planting your new lawn. Removing an entire lawn is a lot of work, so be prepared. If you want to go this route, learn about the easiest ways to kill the grass in your lawn. 

If you have pets, you may also want to think twice about planting chamomile. It’s considered toxic to pets and can cause everything from a rash to gastrointestinal issues. So, it’s not the best choice for pet-filled homes — or even if you have neighborhood pets that like to stop by. Additionally, chamomile does not typically suffer from pest problems, but it can attract aphids. Healthy chamomile plants would likely be able to weather minor infestations, but if you have other plants that could be more sensitive to aphids, you may want to avoid planting chamomile nearby. If all these issues mean chamomile is out of the running; you may want to consider planting red creeping thyme in your yard instead.