Chamomile - Chamaemelum nobile & Matricaria recutita

Other Names:
	Matricaria recutita Chamomilla chamomilla (L.) Rydb., Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert, M. chamomilla L., M. chamomilla var. coronata (J. Gay), M. suaveolens L., Chamomilla officinalis	Chamaemelum nobile Anthemis nobilis L.,  Chamaemelum romanum, Ormenis nobilis
	Mayweed, Camomile, Chamomile, German Chamomile, Matricaria, Scented Mayweed, White Chamomile, Wild chamomile, True chamomile (!) Blue Chamomile, Common Chamomile Hungarian Chamomile, Scented Chamomile, Sweet False Chamomile	Roman Chamomile, Chamomile, Garden chamomile. True chamomile (!), Maythen, Russian chamomile
	Camomille vraie, Camomille commune ou d'Allmagne, Matricaire fausse camomille, Matricaire tronquée, Camomille sauvage, Camomille Allemande	Camomille noble, Camomille romaine
	Vellugtende kamille, Ægte kamille, Kamille	Romersk kamille
	Echte Kamille, Kamille, Chamillen, Gamillen, Camomillen, Hermlein, Magdblum, Laugenblum, Carmelien	Römische Kamille, Chamomile, Edelkamille, Gartenkamille, Kuhmelle, Römischer Romey
	Camomilla comune, Camomilla	Camomilla romana
	echte kamille, moederkruid	Roomse kamille
	Kamomillasaunio	jalosauramo
	Kryddbaldursbrá
	Kamilleblom, Ettårig kamille, Kamille, Kamomilleblom	Romersk kamille
	heřmánková
	Rumianek, Rumianek pospolity	Rumian szlachetny (Rumianek rzymski)
	camomila, margaça-das-boticas, mançanilha, manzanella
	Ромашка
	Kamomill, Sötblomster, äkta kamomill
Tu*	Tıbbi Papatya, Mayıs Papatyası
	larranbillo, larramillo, lilibitxi, bitxilora, bitxeleta
	camamilla, camamilla de l'Urgell, camamilla d'Aragó, camamirla
	camomila, manzanilla, manzanilla común, manzanilla de Aragón, camomilla	manzanilla, camomila de jardín, manzanilla fina, manzanilla romana
Note	Sometimes confused with Feverfew.  There is longstanding animosity and argument over whether Matricaria or Chamaemelum is 'true' chamomile - the real story is that the English have in the past considered Matricaria an imposter weed, and the Germans have said the same about Chamaemelum. See the Medicinal notes for further detail on their differences.

Botany:

Taxonomy: Family - Asteraceae - sunflowers
Habit: Matricaria is a self-seeding annual with slightly coarser foliage and hollow centers in the flowers (this is the sure-fire way of spotting the difference!!) and grows up to 60 cm. It makes a good ground-cover and tolerates direct sun well. Chamaemelum is a perennial, with slightly tidier habit, and grows up to 30 cm, not tolerating the sun quite as well - semi-shade or dappled sunlight seems best. 
Distribution: C. Nobile - native to the Algeria, Morocco, Spain, Portugal area; north to the UK. widely naturalized. M. recutita - Temperate Asia and Europe. Widely naturalized elsewhere

Composition: contains Chamazulene - antiallergic & anti-inflammatory.
Propagation: .
Companions:  Encourages brassicas (cabbages) & onions - but don't overdo it, one plant for every 20 metres of row is about max.
Harvesting:

Uses:

Culinary: 

Spiritual

• (European traditions):none noted
• Properties:

Cosmetic/Aromatic:

Medicinal

• (European traditions): 
• (American Aboriginal traditions): Not a native plant
•  

Other: 

Last edited 11 February 2002