Camomile (German and Roman)-April 2009

BOTANICAL NAME: Matricaria recutita (German), Anthemis nobilis (Roman)

FAMILY: Asteraceae

HERBAL APPLICATIONS:
Flowers: Fresh and dried leaves (German) are used in teas for insomnia, indigestion and nervous tension. Dried flowers are a nice addition to herbal sleep pillows along with lavender and hops. Gently moistened chamomile tea bags can be placed over the eyelids to reduce puffiness and discomfort due to allergies. Camomile tea is useful in the greenhouse and garden. The flowers of Roman Camomile are not commonly used in dried or tea applications.
Essential oil: Essential oil of German Camomile, which is naturally blue or green in color, is useful for water based sprays (use sterilized water) for minor sunburn and minor rashes. Blended with a little tea tree oil in the spray, it can be helpful to reduce the itching of chicken pox. Essential oil Roman Camomile, which may have a much lighter blue or green tinge, is useful in massage blends for pain of a dull, chronic nature or for knotted muscles. A massage blend with Roman Camomile can be helpful for menstrual cramps. A single drop of an olive oil and Roman Camomile blend, gently rubbed on baby’s upper lip or on the base of the lower lip can help ease teething pain. The same blend helps ease pain following dental work. Some people use it successfully for arthritic pain—it is worth a try.

When purchasing essential oil chamomile, it is very important to know which chamomile you are getting. German camomile is anti-inflammatory (helpful for burns, allergies and rashes) while Roman Camomile is anti-spasmodic (good for knotted muscles and pain). Both gently help soothe digestion, especially in children.

German camomile tea (the common tea sold in most groceries) is a gentle soother for kids and adults alike. Parents and kids may recall that Peter Rabbit’s mother put him to bed with a spoonful of camomile tea after Peter’s harrowing day in Mr. McGregor’s garden. Dried camomile blossoms (open a few tea bags if you don’t grow your own) are a nice addition to dog’s bedding. The herb discourages fleas and adds a relaxing touch for naptime

Camomile tea, used lightly, is also soothing to young plants, and is used to minimize damping off and other fungal diseases in young seedlings. A few camomile plants (very few!) scattered about the garden can increase the yield of many crops, but too much camomile may have the opposite effect. German camomile is an easy-to-grow self-seeding annual. You will be spoiled by home-grown camomile tea.