Chamomile flowers
Latin Name:
Matricaria recutita
Part used:
Whole plant
Chamomile is a low-growing plant with white petals and a solid, conical golden-yellow center. It is a part of the Asteraceae (also called daisy) family, which is considered to be one of the largest families of flowering plants in the world. Native to Europe, chamomile is growing in abundance in many other places.
This beautiful flower got its' name from Greek words kamai, meaning "on the ground" and melon, meaning "apple" since it creeps along the ground and has an apple like aroma.
Chamomile has long been valued as a medicinal plant by the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians.Traditionally it was used as a home remedy to treat a wide range of ailments including wounds, skin irritations, respiratory tract infections, digestive tract disorders and much more. Chamomile tea was also well-known for its' calming properties and was drunk to improve sleep and to get rid of nightmares. In the 16th-17th centuries, the use of chamomile became quite widespread because it was prescribed by doctors to treat intermittent fevers.
In some cultures, chamomile was considered a sacred herb. For example, the Egyptians dedicated it to Ra - god of the sun and the King of the Gods - one of the most important figures in their pantheon. It was also listed as one of the nine sacred herbs in the Anglo-Saxon tradition
Chamomile flower has more than 120 chemical constituents, some of them with potential pharmacological activity. Today, chamomile flower extracts and oils are widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceutics, dietary supplements, foods, beverages and more.