As promised I will now begin posting an herb profile each month.  It is my intention to post herbs that are out and about so that you are inspired to go visit them, commune with them, harvest them, eat them, and make medicine with them.  We can only truly know a plant when we've sat with it, learned from it and taken the time to discover it's precious spirit.  Plants have information to give as long as we can slow down and listen- listen with our ears and with our hearts.  Plants are like people, they have a story to share, they have a history and a life force just waiting to be explored.  May these posts bring you closer to the green beings that surround you, may you feel inspired to spend time in nature, and may you make many friends along the path of your green journey!

Latin Name: Matricaria recutita- matricaria stems from the matrix meaning "mother" or "womb".

Common Name: German Chamomile

Family: Asteraceae- sunflower family

German chamomile should not be confused with Roman/English chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile).  Roman/English chamomile is used prevalently throughout England.  Both German and Roman/English chamomile can be used interchangeable; however, Roman/English chamomile contains less chamazulene in the essential oil.

Botanical Characteristics-

Chamomile is an annual, herbaceous plant that is found in the Chamomile tribe in the Aster subfamily of the Asteraceae family

Leaves: alternate, bipinnate or tripinnate leaves contain numerous linear, narrowly lobed leaflets arising from many branching stems.

Flowers: a single row of white ray flowers surround a dense head of yellow disc flowers.  The flower heads contain a hollow, swollen receptacle which lacks scales.  Flowers are very odiferous producing a scent similar to apples.  Blooms occur in early June to frost.

Fruit: achene lacking a pappus.




Part Used-
Flowering tops, preferable harvested prior to fully opening.

Native To-
Northern Europe

Habitat-
Near roads, landfills and cultivated fields.  Seeds need open soil to survive.

Growth Requirements-

• Easy to grow from seed, direct sow in the garden.
• Start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors once the frost danger has passed.
• Light: full sun, partial shade.
• Water: needs well drained soil.
• Likes to grow in community.

Harvesting-
Harvest flowers when the white ray discs are no further past a 45 degree angel, when they point towards the sky and resemble a cup; when the white petals are pointing towards the ground they are past their prime.  You can use a chamomile rake to harvest the flowers; however, they are expensive and I find that my hands work just fine.  I allow the flowers to fall in between my fingers and pull up, popping off their heads.

Constituents-

• Volatile Oils: Sesquiterpene Lactones- chamazulene, alpha-bisabolol, matricin, matricarin.  There are over 120 identified compounds that make up the volatile oil content of chamomile.  Chamazulene is one of the most active and is responsible for the main wound healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic and pain relieving properties.  Chamazulene is derived during distillation via conversion of matricin, it produces a beautiful blue color.  To ensure a top quality essential oil look for an oil with a deep blue color.
• Flavonoids: apigenin, luteolin, quercetin
• Coumarins: umbelliferone
• Mucilaginous Polysaccharides

Actions-

• Antispasmodic
• Inflammation Modulator
• Carminitive: expels gas and bloating
• Antimicrobial
• Bitter: digestive stimulate, helps increase the health and function of the digestive system.
• Vulnerary: wound healer
• Analgesic: pain reliever
• Sedative
• Anti-ulcer
• Mild Immunomodulator

Uses-

-Long standing tradition in the use for inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, such as: indigestion, gas, bloating, gastritis (stomach inflammation), gastric ulcers, diarrhea, nausea, colic, and IBS... to name a few.

-As a sedating nervine, it works to calm nervousness and anxiety that may lead to the above issues.

-Mild enough for children, used for colic, teething, ADHD, hyperactive children, cranky kids, and children who have trouble falling asleep (combine with lemon balm, linden, catnip, California poppy, and peppermint as a bed time tea or in a bath).  Try using the chamomile homeopathic remedy for colic or teething.

-Matthew Wood states that chamomile is, “Suited to conditions where there is heat and tension or where inflammatory conditions combine w/constriction and irritability.”  The chamomile picture is of those who are petulant, self centered, intolerant of pain, must have their way, inclined to pick quarrels, averse to being touched, soothed or spoken too.

-Antispasmodic action works on the peripheral nerves and muscles, relaxing the whole body.  Use to relax muscle cramping, dysmenorrheal (menstrual cramps), and painful gas or griping. 

-Inflammation modulating activity due to inhibition of arachadonic acid pathway proves it valuable in treating respiratory conditions, such as: sinusitis, rhinitus, head colds, and allergies.

-Antimicrobial action is used to counter a number of pathogens both internally and externally.

-Externally used as a mouthwash for oral inflammation, ear drops for otitis media, and as a poultice to treat external burns, wounds, ulcerations, varicosities and muscular spasms.

 Dosing and Preparations-

Tea: Infuse 1Tbl dried flowers, 3Tbl fresh, in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes.  Keep the vessel covered during steeping to capture the herb's volatile oils.  Drink three cups per day, or as needed.

Tincture: 3-10ml of a 1:5 (45% alc) taken three times per day, or as needed.

Other Preparations:

• Delicious as a glycerite
• Prepare a compress or poultice for topical use
• Headache Shoo Pills: combine the following dried herbs- 2 Tbl dried lemon balm, 2 Tbl dried skullcap, 1 Tbl dried chamomile, 1 Tbl dried feverfew, mix with honey and water (approximately 2Tbl honey and 1 ½ tsp water) to form a paste with the consistency of toothpaste.  Next with enough carob powder to form a dough, with the consistency of bread dough.  Once the dough’s been made pull of small pieces and roll into pills.  Coat the pills in more carob powder and dry the pills on a drying rack or in a dehydrator.

Safety Concerns-

No known safety issues.  Those with a sensitivity to plants in the Asteraceae family may have an allergic reaction.

Chamomile is an extremely useful plant that is a medicine chest all in itself.  I learned this first hand when I was going through the herbal sciences program at Bastyr University.  For our final exam we were asked to pick our top ten herbs that we would like to have in our herbal medicine chests.  The idea was to pick herbs that fulfilled the actions we would need to cover in order to treat common ailments.  The second half of the final was a take home exam in which we were given a number of ailments that we needed to treat.  I found that I was able to use chamomile in every situation I was presented with.  I was astounded!  Before this exercise I had a mild appreciation for chamomile, since then I am in love with this herb.  Chamomile is an herb that I always make sure to have in my house.  For the last two years I have been growing it in my garden and I love to see if burst forth, love to nurture it through its growth cycle, love to harvest it, love to make medicine with it, and I love to share that medicine with my friends and family.  If you are looking for a plant to connect with, a plant to call your herbal ally, I highly recommend getting to know chamomile.  She is so easy to grow, lovely to be with, and makes such wonderful medicine that you will enjoy your encounters each day with her.

May your herbal medicine support you in health and well being!