Herb Garden – Chamomile
Herbs are gifts of Mother Nature to mankind. They have played an important role in man’s life for countless years, with their medicinal, culinary and spiritual properties. We use different varieties of herbs in our day to day life. In the herb garden, every month we will be learning about an herb.
Herb of the month: Chamomile
Chamomile is a fragrant filled gentle herb known for its apple like taste and scent. The word Chamomile is derived from the Greek words “chamos” and “milos”, which means “ground ” and “apple” respectively. Thus the name Chamomile represents they are low-growing (ground level) shrubs with the smell of apples. It is a flowering plant in the daisy family. Chamomile is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia; and it migrated slowly to all over the world. Now it can be found anywhere in uncultivated areas, gardens, fields, road edges etc.
Chamomile is an all-season plant and it grows throughout the year. It can grow to a maximum height of 3 feet. Chamomile requires full sunlight and proper drainage, to grow healthily. It may survive with partial sun light but growth rate will be slow. It needs to be watered more during hot and dry weathers. There are numerous species in Chamomile. Two species are more famous among them and grown widely. They are: Roman chamomile (English chamomile) and German chamomile. Both have almost similar properties and uses.
Uses:
Chamomile has been highly valued for its many beneficial properties since ancient times. Ancient Egyptians believe it to be a gift from God and they dedicated chamomile to Sun God because of its healing properties. Some of the uses of this wonderful herb are listed below:
- Dried flower heads of chamomile are used in manufacturing herbal tea, ointments, potpourri, herb pillows, shampoos, herbal medicines and cosmetics.
- Chamomile is a natural calming agent; hence it is used in treating anxiety, stress and insomnia (sleeplessness).
- Chamomile is used internally for treating stomach cramps, indigestion, menstrual cramps, gastric problems, diarrhea, fever, colds, congestion, nausea, vomiting, and headaches.
- Externally chamomile helps in treating skin irritations, rashes, burns, eczema, minor wounds and hemorrhoids.
- For babies, it is helpful with colic and teething pain symptoms.
- Gardeners call chamomile as “plant’s physician”, because it aids in the healthy growth of other plants in the garden. Chamomile kept near a sick plant, improves the condition of the sick plant.
Side effects:
People with pollen allergies should be careful when using chamomile. It should not be taken during pregnancy, breastfeeding, two weeks before or after surgery. People with bleeding disorders should not use chamomile.
Chamomile is definitely a gift to mankind from Mother Nature. A cup of nice hot tea made with chamomile is a perfect ending for a stressful and busy day.
-Anu
March 7th, 2012 at 5:35 AM
Great Article and nice pictures! Good to know so much information about this herb!
March 7th, 2012 at 5:47 AM
Though I have seen this being used in tea, I never new the significance. Thanks for the useful information and its a great way to start with the Herb Garden.
March 7th, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Thanks Anu for this nice article. Never knew how chamomile looks like until I saw the photo here. It is a nice photo and good information to know about this herb.
March 7th, 2012 at 7:47 PM
Thank you Anu for a very useful article on Chamomile herb. I was pleasantly surprised after reading the list of benefits by Chamomile herb. I never knew that Chamomile is related to apple taste too. After reading your article and benefits of Chamomile i’m thinking of starting to drink Chamomile tea. It is also interesting to know that this flower was dedicated to Sun God. The flower picture is very nice and pleasant.
March 14th, 2012 at 4:50 AM
It is very interesting to learn about Chamomile. I never knew it had so many benefits. I am looking forward to learn more about herbs from the Herb Garden. Thanks Anu for the article.