Herb. No. 001 · Asteraceae
Native to southern and eastern Europe; a tea herb in gardens worldwide.
Native · Europe · Mediterranean
Native Also grownNow a garden plant worldwide
OpenGentleplant
Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
A small daisy used for centuries as an evening tea for restlessness and mild digestive cramp.
German chamomile is an annual with feathery foliage and hollow golden cones ringed by white rays. The dried flower heads are the official drug. Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is a related perennial with a similar but stronger apple scent. Both are among the most studied gentle nervines in European herbalism.
Flavor
Apple-sweet, hay, and a faint bitterness — like a warm orchard in a cup.
Parts used
Flower heads
In favor
- Long kitchen-herb safety record in healthy adults
- Pleasant taste; easy to grow and dry
- Useful both as tea and as a compress
Against
- Cross-reacts in people allergic to ragweed and other Asteraceae
- Rare contact dermatitis from the essential oil
- Evidence for sleep is modest, not a substitute for insomnia work-up