Friday Foraging #102 - 28th March 2025

English Chamomile

Referred to as Chamaemelum nobile rather than the German plant that is called Matricaria chamomilla and used more often in essential oils. Nobile is often also called Roman Chamomile, but it is the English variety.

It is a herb that belongs to the Asteraceae family which includes daisy or sunflower, fairly obvious connection to the daisy when you look at the lovely little white and yellow flowers the plant produces. Wild chamomile is an annual plant that grows up to 50 centimetres in height. It features finely dissected, feathery leaves that are bright green and arranged alternately along the stems. The stems are slender and slightly hairy. The most striking feature of wild chamomile is its flowers, which resemble miniature daisies. Each flower consists of a yellow, cone-shaped centre surrounded by white petals. The petals have a characteristic notched tip, giving the flower a distinctive appearance. The smell makes it quite easy to spot too. One of the most enchanting aspects of wild chamomile is its delightful fragrance. When the flowers are crushed or gently rubbed, they release a mild, apple-like scent that is both calming and uplifting.

Chamomile has been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years to calm anxiety and settle stomachs. People in ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt used dried chamomile flowers and their essential oils as a medicinal herb. It has become one of the most drunk herbal teas in the World too.

In the UK Chamomile is a vulnerable species due to habitat loss, but it can be found in grasslands, meadows, and along coastal cliffs.  Also pastures, and along roadside verges. (I wouldn’t be picking the verge chamomile though if I were you) Over the years, it has adapted to a variety of soil types and can be found in both dry and moist habitats. Wild chamomile thrives in well-drained soil with good sunlight exposure. It can tolerate slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil pH levels. The plant prefers open areas with minimal shade, allowing it to bask in sunlight for optimal growth.

In the UK, wild chamomile typically blooms from late spring to early autumn. Its peak flowering period is June to August.

If you like chamomile, collect it from different areas on the stem, hang in small bunches to dry and then pop it in an air tight jar, labelled, it has a high oil content, so should be kept away from direct heat and sunlight, but will last a good year in the right conditions.

Perfect for herbal teas, adding to syrup, cakes and cookies, salves for the skin, body soaks and infused into carrier oils. If you don’t see yourself as a kitchen type witch, why not just put a handful of dried chamomile in a little bag and throw it in the bath before you get in.