Real chamomile is one of the oldest medicinal plants used by humans, and its use has been documented since the early Stone Age. The medicinal herb can be used in many different ways, but above all it helps internally and externally with inflammation and with problems of the gastrointestinal tract. There are numerous different types of chamomile, which are very similar on the outside, but have no healing properties. Find out by which characteristics you can recognize real chamomile.
collect chamomile
Chamomile is widespread throughout Europe and grows both in mountainous areas up to approx. 1,600 meters and in the north German lowlands. You will find the rapidly growing herb in sunny and warm locations on field edges, roadsides, on meadows and fields, on walls, fallow land and rubble dumps. However, it is important not to collect wild chamomile carelessly, because many fields and meadows are treated with pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Chamomile treated in this way cannot be used as a medicinal plant, nor can plants that grow close to busy roads.
The right harvest time
The flowering period of chamomile lasts from about May to September, whereby you should collect the flower heads in June / July if possible - the content of the valuable essential oils is highest when the flowers have already had some time to mature, but are not yet overripe. You can recognize the optimal time when around two thirds of a chamomile population is already in bloom, but a few buds are still closed.
Characteristics of real chamomile
You can distinguish real chamomile from other types of chamomile by the following typical characteristics:
- Growth height up to about 50 centimeters, depending on the soil conditions less possible (many species of dog chamomile are significantly larger)
- a strong scent of chamomile (in contrast to the very similar but odorless false chamomile)
- a concave petal with drooping leaves
- linearly arranged tongue leaves with smooth edges (especially the leaves of the dog chamomile have a slight serration)
The most important distinction is the following: Cut through a base of a flower from top to bottom with a sharp knife. it should be more or less hollow inside. Both false chamomile and dog chamomile tend to have flat, filled flower bases.
tips and tricks
To prevent confusion and avoid contamination with pesticides and the like, grow real chamomile in your own garden. You can also just collect ripe flower heads in nature and just drop them in the garden - they will practically self-seed.
IJA