Chamomile

24/07/2022

Roman Chamomile, (Anthemis nobilis renamed Chamaemelum nobile,) is a slow-growing plant, creeping or trailing its tufts of leaves and flowers only a foot in height. Its root is perennial; the stems, hairy and freely branched, are covered with leaves which are divided into thread-like segments. This gives the whole plant a feathery appearance. The seed of Roman chamomile is very fine and requires a well-prepared soil. Sow seed shallowly; simply scatter seed on the soil’s surface and tamp down gently with the flat side of a hoe. The young seedlings can withstand a mild frost. Both Roman and German chamomile like lots of sun. Creeping rootstock spreads the plants, creating desirable carpeting surface. When walked on, its strong, fragrant scent will often reveal its presence before it is seen. Mrs. M. Grieve suggested walking over the plant seems beneficial to it. The aromatic fragrance gives no hint of its bitterness of taste.

chamomile flowers, chamomile growing tips, facts about chamomile, chamomile fun facts, chamomile historyAll the Chamomiles have a tiny chaffy scale between each two florets and are downy and grayish-green in color. The wild type flourishes in a rather dry, sandy soil but the double-flowered Chamomile needs a richer soil and gives the heaviest crop of blooms in moist, stiff-ish black loam. Harvest the flowers for drying when the petals begin to turn back on the disk.

The part of the plant chiefly used medicinally is the flower-heads. Both single and double flowers are used in medicine but the single, wild Chamomile appear to be more powerful. The English Chamomile is the double form. English flower-heads are considered the most valuable for distillation of the oil. A simple way to make chamomile oil, according to the Egyptians, is to take fresh flowers (one ounce) and beat them up with pure olive oil. Steep the flowers in the oil for twenty-four hours or more, then strain. Extracts of the plant or the oil itself have three primary uses: as anti-inflammatories for various afflictions of the skin and mucous membranes; as antispasmodics for treating ailments like indigestion and menstrual cramps; and as anti-infective for numerous minor illnesses.

23/07/2022

German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is an annual native of Europe and western Asia. An adaptable plant, it likes full sun and will tolerate almost any type of growing conditions. A light, sandy, somewhat-moist loam will produce optimum growth. It appreciates lots of water during its growing season. Growing from one to two feet high, its stem is smooth and shiny and finely divided leaf segments cover its numerous branches. By the time it reaches blooming season, which is usually late spring, the plant looks a bit sprawly. Harvesting the flowers and lightly cutting back the plant will produce a second crop before the plant dies. Less fragrant than A. Nobilis, German Chamomile flowers are slightly bitter tasting.

There are several other plants that are covered by the “Chamomile” umbrella. The Scotch Chamomile of commerce is sometimes known as the Wild Chamomile. It has a strong aromatic odor and a very bitter taste. It flourishes in rather dry, sandy soil that resembles the wild, open land of its natural habitat. It is considered the most powerful of all the chamomiles in curative properties. The powerful alkali contained in its single flowers is liable to destroy the coating of the stomach and bowels.

21/07/2022

21/07/2022

English or Roman Chamomile is a perennial native to western Europe, northward to Northern Ireland. Roman Chamomile likes full sun and a slightly acid-to-neutral soil with good drainage. It can be started from seeds, cuttings or by root division. My patch has remained green throughout our mild winter but it does not tolerate our hot, dry summers. An interesting note for companion planting gardeners: camomile (either spelling is correct) is considered the plant’s physician. Do you have a droopy, sickly-looking plant in the garden. Place a chamomile by it and chances are good it will recover.

21/07/2022

21/07/2022

06/07/2022

The double-flowered form was already well known in the sixteenth century. It was introduced into Germany from Spain about the close of the Middle Ages. Chamomile was largely cultivated before the war in Belgium, France and Saxony and also in England. Even nursery rhymes include mentions of this herbal brew—remember Peter Rabbit whose mother soothed his aching head with a cup of chamomile tea? In Boulder, Colorado, you can find German chamomile naturalized along roadsides and in the cracks of sidewalks, where seeds have “escaped” from Celestial Seasonings, according to Stephen Foster. A common folk saying in Czech-Slovakia is, “an individual should always bow before the curative powers of the chamomile plant.” The Germans have a phrase to describe it: Alles Zutraut, meaning “capable of anything.”

01/07/2022

01/07/2022

Several studies have linked chamomile tea to reduced severity of menstrual cramps. A 2010 study, for example, found that consuming chamomile tea for a month could reduce the pain of menstrual cramps. Women in the study also reported less anxiety and distress associated with period pain.

02/06/2022

The plant is also an excellent antidepressant and has a hypnotic effect.