Occurrence and use of chamomile, originally from the Near East and Eastern Europe, has been proven in Europe since the early Stone Age - ergo, the versatile flower heads of the medicinal plant have been used by humans for a very long time. Even today you can still collect the chamomile yourself.

Recognize real chamomile

There are many different types of chamomile which, although they look very similar and are therefore easily confused with one another, of which only the chamomile and the rarer Roman chamomile are of therapeutic use. You can recognize real chamomile by the following characteristics:

  • The flowers emit a strong, characteristic smell.
  • The flower heads are not flat and round, but rather concave and curved.
  • Ripe flowers let their tongues hang.
  • Inside the flower head is hollow.
  • The flower tongues are linearly arranged and smooth, not slightly jagged (as in many species of dog chamomile).

In principle, the various types of chamomile are not poisonous, but they do not have any great healing properties either.

Where can you find real chamomile?

You can find real chamomile in fields, on roadsides, on meadows, fallow land, rubble dumps, in vineyards and on walls. The plant thrives above all in sunny and warm places, where it is mostly fought by farmers as field weeds. If possible, collect in remote places and be careful not to collect on sprayed fields, fertilized meadows or busy roads. These chamomiles are heavily contaminated by ingested pollutants.

Harvest and dry chamomile

The best time to harvest the ripe flower heads is a sunny and dry day, preferably around noon. At this time, the content of valuable essential oils is at its highest. Only the flower heads are collected if they are clean, healthy and free from vermin. They must not be washed under any circumstances. The flowers should be dried immediately after harvest. To do this, spread them out over a large area on newspaper and dry in a warm, dark place between 21 and 27 °C. Alternatively, drying in the oven is also possible.

Store chamomile flowers properly

Store the dried buds in an airtight jar in a dark and cool place. The chamomile flowers can be kept for about a year.

tips and tricks

Since nowadays unfertilized meadows and unsprayed arable land are only rarely found, you can also grow real chamomile in the garden yourself.

IJA

Category:

Herbs