CHAMOMILE
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German Chamomile
Matricaria recutita
This annual chamomile is an easily
grown two foot tall apple scented annual.
Pick the daisy-like flowers in full bloom
before they form seed. Dry them to make
a soothing, intensely flavored iced or hot
tea.
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Dyer's Chamomile
Anthemis tinctoria
Use the golden yellow button flowers of this three
foot high perennial in tea and potpourris. As it's name tinctoria
implies, it yields a yellow dye. A milder tea than German chamomile,
it also can be used as a natural hair rinse. Plant divisions in
full sun or very little shade. Water moderately.
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Chamomile is the common name for several plants,
both annual and perennial. They all have aromatic
feathery foliage and small daisy-like flowers.
All prefer dry, sunny sites. Sow chamomile seeds
where they are going to grow, spacing seeds between
eight and twelve inches apart. Chamomile reseeds
freely.
Propagate by dividing mature plants in spring. Roman chamomile, Chamaemelum
nobile, is a creeping evergreen perennial that grows four to ten inches
high. Because it emits a pleasant aroma when tread upon, use it mainly
as a ground cover, around stepping stones or as a lawn substitute. Mow
it occasionally to encourage further growth.
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Culinary Uses:
The blossoms are used to make a tea with subtle
pineapple-apple fragrance.
Other Uses:
Add the fragrant dried leaves and flowers to
herb pillows and potpourri. A chamomile hair rinse
is used to brighten fair hair. Steep 1 Handful
fresh or dried flowers in 1 liter boiling water
for 30 minutes. Strain, cool and pour several
times over hair.
Medicinal Uses:
Chamomile has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic
properties. Chamomile tea is taken internally
to relieve indigestion, heartburn, ulcers, fevers
and coughs and as a mild sedative to induce sleep.
The tea is also used as a gargle or mouthwash
for gingivitis. Externally, a Chamomile skin wash
or bath is used to soothe inflammatory skin conditions
including psoriasis, eczema, sores, wounds, and
burns.
Warnings:
Only the petals of these composite flowers are edible. The pollen of
composite flowers is highly allergenic and may cause reactions in sensitive
individuals. Sufferers of asthma, ragweed, and hayfever should not consume
composite flowers, and may have extreme allergies to ingesting any flowers
at all.
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