A Sketch of Chamomile

The blooming time of German chamomile in the garden ( matricaria recutita) is long anticipated each year. For weeks  I watch to spot the moment of the tiny cotyledons emerging in the ancient asparagus bed where they thrive and reseed, having claimed this ground as a favored one. It is amazing to me to see how such an infinitesimally tiny beginning can grow so rapidly into a much larger, bushy plant bearing hundreds of flowers.

At first, chamomile is quite compact and feathery, a bright and vigorous green. As it grows, the branching structure spreads and attenuates, the leaves somewhat fleshy and succulent -like, yet still delicate, with finely pinnate tips, resembling samphire. The flowers morph from tiny green gold “buttons”, surrounded by green scales, then circled by teeny white  florets which look like petals. From this point, the somewhat conical greenish multifloret disc undergoes a series of interesting changes, becoming more and more yellow as the central florets open, while the shape begins to flatten, a minute hollow appearing in the very center. Meanwhile the outer white florets, arrayed at first as if tilted, rise into occupying one plane. The yellow center begins to go to seed at the base, becoming convex again, and the white outer florets hang straight down. All the while new flowers appear lower down and move rapidly through this same dance. The whole plant impression is that of opening joyfully into the air and sun, embodying the freshness of azure skies, pure air, fluffy clouds and golden light. Quite true to this impression,chamomile  alleviates so many discomforts and pains, and imparts calm, ease and a sunny disposition . It is a powerful anti inflammatory and decongestant .

Stuffy or infected sinus passages, aching tummies, menstrual cramps, teething pains, wounds, inflammation, GERD, and UTIs are some of the conditions which can be treated with chamomile. This herb appears in many Tender Flower products. In Tender Baby Salve, along with linden and lavender, chamomile works as a tummy rub, tension reliever, sedative, acid reflux calmer, cramp tamer and more. Precious Facial Serum’s chamomile relieves the irritation of sensitive skin,  in part due to one of the herb’s chemicals, the deep blue azulene., although there are other chemicals in chamomile working synergistically. But chamomile is a vasoconstrictor as well,  shrinking capillaries, and thus reducing ruddiness. Chamomile is also formulated in some of the hand creams, Summer Meadow bath salts and in a few new products in the wings. It is indispensable in health and beauty care.

In order to have the best chamomile possible, and to harvest the flowers before they even enter the seed producing stage, it is grown in the Tender Flower gardens. Each day of good conditions, the plants are inspected carefully before harvesting perfect flowers that will yield the best medicinal benefits.

Honestly, although it is much work to pick so choosily and then dry the blossoms, I love having the excuse to spend time with chamomile every day during its season, and visit it 3 or 4 times each day. Syrphid flies, the tiny pollinators few notice, but who do such an important job, seem to have a special affinity for the flowers. On a sunny day I see hundreds of them flitting about, basking in the fresh, green apple-like chamomile atmosphere, calm and steady all the while as I harvest. Later, the garden house smells of chamomile freshness and health while the flowers dry.

Chamomile, interestingly, is also known as the plant’s physician, used to to heal ailing plants, even revive drooping cut flowers, if the infusion is added to the vase. In Biodynamics, chamomile is one of the compost preparations, gathering together substances that have to do with plant growth, and then sharing them, through the soil, with other plants, to strengthen them and give them health.

Every medicinal plant has its limits of benefit, however. Be careful not to overuse chamomile, especially with children, for too much of it can exacerbate what it is meant to cure. And oddly, bees find the plant disagreeable, so take note that chamomile isn’t a plant to use in beescaping. Otherwise, find a bit of sunny garden real estate for chamomile to grow in abundance, go to seed and sprout again each year, blooming briefly and beautifully, leaving us with its  wealth of herbal goodness.