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Common Name: Camomile

General Information

Chamaemelum nobile is a Evergreen Perennial up to 0.15 metres tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Western Europe, including Britain, from Belgium south to N. Africa and the Azores.

Habitat

Sandy commons, pastures and grassy roadsides[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.15 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Tolerates most well-drained soils, preferring a dry sandy soil and a sunny position[, , ]. Tolerates partial shade[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[]. Can be grown in grass[]. Tolerates a pH in the range 6.8 to 8.
Plants are hardy to at least -15°c[]. They often deteriorate in very wet or cold winters, but usually recover quickly in the spring and early summer[].
Chamomile is commonly grown in the domestic herb garden, it is also cultivated commercially for its flowers which are used in herb teas and medicinally. The double-flowered form is highly regarded for its medicinal virtues[]. Plants can be invasive when growing in good conditions[], though they are easy to control[].
There is some confusion between this plant (which is a perennial) and the annual chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) as to which is the genuine medicinal chamomile. Some reports say that this plant is the most effective herbally[], whilst others says that Matricaria is more potent[]. Both plants seem to have very similar properties and either can probably be used quite successfully.
Camomile is a very good companion plant, promoting the health of plants it is growing close to, it is especially good for growing near cabbages, onions and, in small quantities, wheat[, , , , , ].
The cultivar 'Treneague' is a low-growing non-flowering form that makes an excellent ground cover[]. Fairly tolerant of being walked on, it is sometimes used instead of grass for making a lawn though it is more difficult to maintain and can become weed infested, especially in its early stages[]. It also tends to become bare in places[]. The whole plant has a pungent aroma, this being especially noticeable on hot days or when the plant is bruised.

Edible Uses

Young sprigs are used as a seasoning and a flavouring in herb beers[, ].

The fresh or dried flowers are used to make herb teas[, , ]. This has a strong aromatic odour and a bitter flavour, especially the single-flowered form[].

The whole herb is used for making herbal beers[].

Medicinal

Camomile is a common herb with a long history of safe and effective medicinal use - it is widely used as a household herbal remedy. It is particularly useful as a remedy for various problems of the digestive system, as a sedative and a nervine, it is especially suited for young children[, , ]. A tea is made from the flowers and this should be prepared in a closed vessel to prevent loss of the essential oils[].

The flowers are anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, nervine, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator[, , , , , ]. The single-flowered form is the most potent medicinally, though it can in large doses damage the lining of the stomach and bowels[]. For this reason, the double-flowered form is usually preferred since this contains less of the alkaloid that causes the problem[].
The flowers are gathered in the summer when they are fully open and are distilled for their oil or dried for later use[]. They should not be stored for longer than 12 months[].

The whole herb is used to make a lotion for external application in the treatment of toothache, earache, neuralgia etc[].

The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Soothing'[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant makes a very good ground cover[] and can also be used as an edging plant[]. It does tend to become bare in patches[].

Other Uses

An infusion of the flowers is used as a hair shampoo, especially for fair hair[, , ]. It is also used as a liquid feed and general plant tonic[], effective against a number of plant diseases[, , ]. It has fungicidal properties and its use is said to prevent damping off in seedlings[].

The flowers are an ingredient of 'QR' herbal compost activator[]. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[].

The whole plant was formerly used as a strewing herb[, ]. The whole plant is insect repellent both when growing and when dried[, ].

An essential oil from the whole plant is used as a flavouring and in perfumery[].

Yellow to gold dyes are obtained from the flowers[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed and do not let the compost dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.
Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 5cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.