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Matricaria recutita
| Common name: |
German Camomile |
Family: |
Compositae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
17, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Matricaria chamomilla (L.), Chamomilla recutita ((L.)Rauschert.) |
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
Europe, including Britain, east to W. Asia and the Himalayas. |
| Habitat: |
Sandy or loamy arable soils in Britain[13, 17]. Also found on saline steppes in Europe[50]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
3 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 5 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Chamomilla chamomilla[B,P]
M. chamomilla var. coronata[B,P]
M. inodora[G]
M. perforata[G]
M. reticulata[H]
M. suaveolens[B,P]
Tripleurospermum inodorum[G]
Tripleurospermum perforatum[G]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Amerale [E], Babunnej [E], Bayboon [E], Camomile [E], Chamomile [H,S,E], Echte Kamille [D], False Chamomile [H], German Chamomile, Manzanilla [S], German Chamomile [H], German Tea Chamomile [H], Hungarian Chamomile [H], Kami-Ture [E], Manzanilla [S,E], Manzanilla Dulce [E], Mayweed [P], Papatya [E], Scented Mayweed [L], Sweet Chamomile [H], Wild Chamomile [B], |
| Systematics: | From a USDA
Plants Database |
|
Order: Asterales. Renamed to Asteraceae -- Aster family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Belgium; Chile; China; Dominican Republic; Europe; France; Hungary; Iraq; Kurdistan; Mexico; Peru; Spain; Turkey; Venezuela
|
Physical Characteristics
Annual growing to 0.5m by 0.25m . It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees and flies.
We rate it 3/5 for edibility and
5/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soil.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires dry or moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Cultivated Beds.Edible Uses
Condiment; Tea.
The young sprigs are used as a seasoning[15].
The dried flowers are used to make herb teas[21, 37]. It is aromatic but
with a very bitter flavour[4].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Anodyne; Antiinflammatory; Antiseptic; Antispasmodic; Carminative; Cholagogue; Diaphoretic; Homeopathy; Nervine; Stomachic; Tonic; Vasodilator.
German camomile is a well known herbal remedy and is much used in the
West. In particular it is an excellent herb for treating various digestive
disorders, nervous tension and irritability and is also used externally to
treat skin problems[254].
An infusion of the flowers is taken internally as an anodyne,
anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue,
diaphoretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, sedative, stomachic, tonic and
vasodilator[7, 218, 238]. An infusion is particularly useful as a stomachic,
nervine and sedative for young children, especially when they are
teething[238]. It is also used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome,
Crohn's disease, peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia[254]. In large doses, or
when taken regularly for several times each day, the tea can be emetic[218]
and can also cause the symptoms it is intended to cure[232]. The flowers are
also used externally to treat wounds, sunburn, burns, haemorrhoids, mastitis
and leg ulcers[238]. The flowers are harvested when fully open and are dried
for later use[254].
The flowers contain various volatile oils including proazulenes[254]. Upon
steam distillation these proazulenes produce chamazulene, this is remarkably
anti-allergenic and is useful in the treatment of asthma and hay fever[254].
The flowers are sometimes added to cosmetics as an anti-allergenic
agent[238].
The whole plant, harvested when in flower, is used to make a homeopathic
remedy[232]. It is especially suited to teething children and those who have
been in a highly emotional state over a long period of time[232]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Dye; Essential; Hair; Liquid feed; Repellent; Strewing.
An infusion of the flowers is used as a hair shampoo, especially for
fair hair[14, 20, 168]. It is also used as a liquid feed and general plant
tonic, effective against a number of plant diseases[14, 18, 20]. The flowers
are also an ingredient of 'Quick Return' herbal compost activator[32].
The whole plant was formerly used as a strewing herb[4, 168]. The whole
plant is insect repellent[14, 20].
An essential oil from the whole plant is used as a flavouring and in
perfumery[46].
Yellow to gold dyes are obtained from the flowers[168].
Cultivation details
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any well-drained soil in a sunny
position[200]. It prefers neutral to slightly acid conditions and succeeds in
poor soils[238]. It usually self-sows freely when well-sited[K].
Chamomile has a long history as a gentle and effective folk medicine for a
wide variety of disorders, being especially effective and safe for
children[K]. There is some confusion between this plant and Chamaemelum
nobile as to which is the genuine camomile. This species is said to be more
bitter and inferior to Chamaemelum nobile in some reports[200] and to be more
active medicinally in other reports[9, 238]. Both have similar properties and
can probably be used interchangeably[K].
The whole plant has a pungent aroma[245].
Propagation
Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ[238]. Germination should take place
within 3 weeks.
Scent
-
Plant: Fresh Crushed Dried
- The whole plant has a pungent aroma[245].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for Chamomilla recutita (a possible synonym).
References for Matricaria chamomilla (a possible synonym).
References for Tripleurospermum perforatum (a possible synonym).
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
References for matricaria recutita (a possible synonym).
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
[14] Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
A good herbal.
[15] Bryan. J. and Castle. C. Edible Ornamental Garden. Pitman Publishing 1976 ISBN 0-273-00098-5
A small book with interesting ideas for edible plants in the ornamental garden.
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[32] Bruce. M. E. Commonsense Compost Making. Faber 1977 ISBN 0-571-09990-4
Excellent little booklet dealing with how to make compost by using herbs to activate the heap. Gives full details of the herbs that are used.
[37] Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878
Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[232] Castro. M. The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. Macmillan. London. 1990 ISBN 0-333-55581-3
A concise beginner's guide to the subject. Very readable.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
Readers Comments
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Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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