Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
The most gentle thing in this archive. Which is not the same as the least powerful.
Overview
Chamomile is the herb of small mercies. A cup of it before bed. A compress on an inflamed eye. The tea given to anxious children and grieving adults and anyone whose body is doing something uncomfortable that does not require medicine so much as it requires gentleness. The plant that grows in paths and tolerates being walked on — the chamomile lawn was a real and practical garden feature, releasing its apple scent underfoot — the same plant the Egyptians dedicated to the sun, that the Anglo-Saxons called maythen and counted among the nine sacred herbs, that herbalists across four thousand years of documented practice have reached for when the need was not for force but for settling. It is not dramatic. It is reliably, persistently, almost stubbornly effective at the things it does.
Botanical Notes
An annual reaching 20–60cm with finely divided, feathery, bright green leaves that smell of ripe apples when crushed. Flower heads have white ray florets that reflex downward as the flower matures, around a hollow, cone-shaped yellow disc — the hollowness of the receptacle distinguishes German chamomile from the non-medicinal lookalikes. Found throughout Europe and western Asia on disturbed, sandy, nutrient-poor soils: arable fields, roadsides, waste ground. Widely cultivated. The essential oil, distilled from the flowers, is a deep blue — the colour of chamazulene, an anti-inflammatory compound formed during distillation that is absent in the fresh plant.
Lore & History
The Egyptians considered chamomile sacred to Ra, the sun god, and used it in the embalming process. In the Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm — the same text that opens with mugwort — maythen appears as one of the herbs with power over venom and infection. In German-speaking countries, it is known as alles zutraut — capable of everything — a name that botanical modesty might dispute but folk experience has repeatedly confirmed. Peter Rabbit's mother puts him to bed with chamomile tea after his ordeal in Mr McGregor's garden. Beatrix Potter knew her herbs.
Warnings
One of the safest herbs available. Contact allergy is the primary risk — chamomile is one of the more common botanical allergens, particularly in those with Asteraceae sensitivity. Patch test before extended topical use. The essential oil should not be used neat on skin. Large quantities of the tea may cause drowsiness — not a significant risk at culinary consumption. Avoid very high doses during pregnancy as a theoretical precaution, though normal tea consumption is generally considered safe.