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CHAMOMILE
Matricaria chamomilla (German) / Chamaemelum nobile (Roman)
Family: Asteraceae
Portuguese: Camomila, camomila-alemã, macela
Other names: Manzanilla, mayweed, ground apple
About This Plant
There are two beloved chamomiles in Western herbalism:
German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is an aromatic annual herb growing 15–60 cm tall, with feathery leaves and small white-petalled daisies with golden domed centers. The flowers smell warmly of apples (chamomile comes from the Greek khamaimēlon — "earth apple"). The most common medicinal chamomile worldwide.
Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is a low-growing perennial, often used as a fragrant ground cover, with similar daisy-like flowers and a fruitier scent.
Both have been used since ancient Egyptian times. Comadres typically grows and uses the German variety, but both share much of the same medicinal action.
Parts Used Medicinally
Flower heads — harvested when fully open and carefully dried. Used as:
Tea infusions (the most common use globally)
Tinctures and glycerites
Steam inhalations
Compresses and washes
Essential oil (chamomile oil — pale to deep blue from azulene content)
Hydrosol (flower water)
Traditional Uses
Calm and sleep: One of the oldest and most beloved nervine herbs. Used across European folk medicine for restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, and to settle agitated children.
Digestive: Used for indigestion, colic (including infant colic), gas, bloating, IBS, gastritis, and nausea. A cup after meals is a household ritual across Europe.
Inflammation: Used internally and externally for inflammation — gastritis, ulcers, irritated skin, mouth ulcers, sore throats, and inflamed gums.
Wound and skin care: Compresses for wounds, eczema, dermatitis, eye inflammation, and irritated skin.
Women's wellness: Used for menstrual cramps, premenstrual tension, and during pregnancy (in moderate amounts) for nausea and restlessness.
Children's herb: One of the safest and most gentle herbs for infants and children — used for colic, teething pain, restlessness, fevers, and difficulty sleeping.
Modern Uses
Sleep and anxiety: Widely used worldwide for sleep support, mild anxiety, and nervous tension. Multiple clinical studies support its anxiolytic and mild sedative effects.
Digestive health: A first-line herbal remedy for functional digestive complaints, IBS, gastritis, infant colic, and stress-related digestion issues.
Skin care: Featured in creams, lotions, baby care products, and balms for sensitive, irritated, and inflamed skin.
Wound and oral health: Compresses, mouthwashes, and creams for inflammation, ulcers, and minor wounds.
Children's wellness: Chamomile glycerite remains one of the safest herbs for children's restlessness, sleep, and digestive issues.
Research insights: Contains bisabolol, chamazulene, and apigenin — well-studied for anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antimicrobial, and gut-healing actions.
Safety Notes
Generally very safe and well-tolerated, including in children and infants. May cause allergic reactions in those sensitive to the Asteraceae family. Avoid medicinal doses during the first trimester of pregnancy. May enhance the effects of blood-thinning medications.
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Matricaria chamomilla (German) / Chamaemelum nobile (Roman)
Family: Asteraceae
Portuguese: Camomila, camomila-alemã, macela
Other names: Manzanilla, mayweed, ground apple
About This Plant
There are two beloved chamomiles in Western herbalism:
German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is an aromatic annual herb growing 15–60 cm tall, with feathery leaves and small white-petalled daisies with golden domed centers. The flowers smell warmly of apples (chamomile comes from the Greek khamaimēlon — "earth apple"). The most common medicinal chamomile worldwide.
Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is a low-growing perennial, often used as a fragrant ground cover, with similar daisy-like flowers and a fruitier scent.
Both have been used since ancient Egyptian times. Comadres typically grows and uses the German variety, but both share much of the same medicinal action.
Parts Used Medicinally
Flower heads — harvested when fully open and carefully dried. Used as:
Tea infusions (the most common use globally)
Tinctures and glycerites
Steam inhalations
Compresses and washes
Essential oil (chamomile oil — pale to deep blue from azulene content)
Hydrosol (flower water)
Traditional Uses
Calm and sleep: One of the oldest and most beloved nervine herbs. Used across European folk medicine for restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, and to settle agitated children.
Digestive: Used for indigestion, colic (including infant colic), gas, bloating, IBS, gastritis, and nausea. A cup after meals is a household ritual across Europe.
Inflammation: Used internally and externally for inflammation — gastritis, ulcers, irritated skin, mouth ulcers, sore throats, and inflamed gums.
Wound and skin care: Compresses for wounds, eczema, dermatitis, eye inflammation, and irritated skin.
Women's wellness: Used for menstrual cramps, premenstrual tension, and during pregnancy (in moderate amounts) for nausea and restlessness.
Children's herb: One of the safest and most gentle herbs for infants and children — used for colic, teething pain, restlessness, fevers, and difficulty sleeping.
Modern Uses
Sleep and anxiety: Widely used worldwide for sleep support, mild anxiety, and nervous tension. Multiple clinical studies support its anxiolytic and mild sedative effects.
Digestive health: A first-line herbal remedy for functional digestive complaints, IBS, gastritis, infant colic, and stress-related digestion issues.
Skin care: Featured in creams, lotions, baby care products, and balms for sensitive, irritated, and inflamed skin.
Wound and oral health: Compresses, mouthwashes, and creams for inflammation, ulcers, and minor wounds.
Children's wellness: Chamomile glycerite remains one of the safest herbs for children's restlessness, sleep, and digestive issues.
Research insights: Contains bisabolol, chamazulene, and apigenin — well-studied for anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antimicrobial, and gut-healing actions.
Safety Notes
Generally very safe and well-tolerated, including in children and infants. May cause allergic reactions in those sensitive to the Asteraceae family. Avoid medicinal doses during the first trimester of pregnancy. May enhance the effects of blood-thinning medications.