Chamomile

Close-up of white daisylike flowers with yellow centers blooming against a soft green background.
1–2 minutes

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Nervine for anxiety and stress, relaxant, sedative, “externalizer” for trapped emotions – helps to process. Insomnia, menopausal depression,

Bitter/digestive for constipation, cramps, gas, bloating, stress-induced indigestion, loss of appetite, gastric ulcers, diarrhea, colic.

Soothes inflammatory conditions.

Migraine, neuralgia, teething, vertigo, motion sickness, and aches and pains associated with the flu.

Conjunctivitis, inflamed skin, bruises, burns, eczema, and a compress for nightmares.

“A comprehensive list of medicinal uses for chamomile would be very long.” – David Hoffman, Medicinal Herbalism

 

 

 

Plant Details

Botanical identity
  • Latin name: Matricaria recutita (german)
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Native range: Southern and Eastern Europe, Western Asia
Medicinal profile
  • Parts used: Flower, Leaf
  • Herbal actions: Analgesic, Anticatarrhal, Antiinflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antipruritic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Aromatic, Bitter, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Laxative, Nervine, Relaxant, Sedative, Tonic, Vulnerary
  • Body systems: Cardiovascular, Digestive, Endocrine, Integumentary, Immune, Nervous
  • Energetics: Cooling & Drying
Growing profile
  • Sun needs: full sun
  • Water: low
  • Difficulty: beginner
Simple preparation note

Can be used for fever (cooling) but also warms digestion, requires thoughtful application.

Science + Research

Sesquiterpenes, sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoid glycosides: apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, isorhamnetin