Tea Party Diva - Life & Craft

Common Name - Chamomile or German Chamomile

Botanical Name - Matriccaria recutita

Perhaps the best known of the herbal teas, chamomile tea even featured in the children’s book, Peter Rabbit.

Peter was given a cup of chamomile tea to soothe the nerves after his narrow escape from Mrs. McGregor.

Description
German Chamomile, as illustrated below, is not the only type of chamomile, but it is the one most used medicinally. The bush is branched with flowers very similar to daisies, and fine fern like leaves. The aroma of the flowers is reminiscent of apples.

English Chamomile is low growing and spreads like a lawn, with flower heads in Summer. These flowers can be collected for Herb Tea. In Ancient times, chamomile was strewn on the floors of dwellings, to give a fresh smell when crushed underfoot.

History & Folklore
The Anglo Saxons regarded English Chamomile or maythen as one of the nine sacred herbs. In mythology, Woden sent the nine herbs into the world “for rich and poor, a remedy for all”.

This quote is from a poem which has survived since the 11th Century, and it is from that period also, that much of our herb folklore comes. A few books from this period with herbal medicinal recipes still survive.

Cultivation of German Chamomile

Type - Perennial
Propagate by - Seed
Approx Size - Grows to approx 60 cm
Position - Sunny to partial shade

Growing Tips
Plant the seeds about 15 cm (6′) apart, directly into the garden. Depending on conditions, you may prefer to plant them into a seed bed or pots first. German chamomile likes a moist well drained soil such as a sandy loam.

Companion Planting
Chamomile is known as “the plants’ physician”, as it seems to enhance the growth and flavour of other plants nearby. Success has been reported with growing mint, cabbages and onions near chamomile.

Harvesting
Collect the seeds before the heads fully dry on the plant, to prevent self seeding. Frequent picking of the flower heads stimulates the plant’s growth, and encourages more flowers to develop.

Isabell Shiphard, author of the comprehensive and practical How Can I Use Herbs in My Daily Life ? has the following advice -

“If flowers are required for tea, they are best picked as they start to bloom and then dried in the shade, as sun drying can cause the volatile oils to evaporate. Once fully dried, the flowers should be stored in a sealed container.”

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE NOTE

Consult your doctor, naturopath or health practitioner for more information.
This information is for interest only, and is provided as a starting point for your own research. Under no circumstances, should it be substituted for medical or health advice.

Features, Herbal Tea