Everyone knows real chamomile - especially as a tea and as an active ingredient in skin care products. The dog chamomile looks confusingly similar to it. But is it just as healing as real chamomile or is it even poisonous?
Dog chamomile (photo) looks very similar to real chamomile
Fatal poisoning - very unlikely
Dog chamomile, which bears the botanical name Anthemis arvensis, is classified as having a low level of toxicity. It is the sesquiterpene lactone anthecotulid that makes dog chamomile unattractive for consumption and medicinal use. This substance manifests itself particularly in sensitive people in:
- swelling of the mucous membranes
- irritated skin
- allergic-type reactions such as breathing problems
Characteristics of dog chamomile
Like real chamomile, dog chamomile is a representative of the daisy family. Here are their characteristics by which you can recognize them:
- up to 45 cm high
- Flowering period: July to September
- bipinnate leaves
- Stems and leaves are hairy
- white-yellow, radiating flowers
- Flowers 3 cm in diameter
tips
Dog chamomile hardly smells, while real chamomile has a typically strong chamomile smell.