Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
A gentle daisy-like flower long used to soothe nerves, settle digestion, and prepare the body for rest.
At a glance
Soft, apple-honey aroma with a warm hay finish. The infusion glows pale gold and tastes faintly of straw and ripe orchard fruit.
- Evening wind-down tea
- Belly-soothing infusion after meals
- Steam for irritated skin or sinuses
- Eyewash compress for tired eyes
Modern research
Tradition
Chamomile has been gathered for at least four thousand years — Egyptian temple records dedicate it to Ra, and medieval European herbals prescribe it for what they called 'tired hearts.' English cottage gardens used it as a fragrant lawn long before it was poured into nighttime cups.
Modern evidence
Clinical trials suggest mild but real effects on generalized anxiety, sleep latency, and functional dyspepsia. The effect size is gentle, not sedative — think nudge, not knockout. The active compounds (apigenin, bisabolol, chamazulene) are anti-inflammatory and bind weakly to GABA-A receptors.
How to brew
Use roughly one tablespoon of whole flowers per cup. Cover while steeping to keep the volatile oils from escaping with the steam — this is the difference between a cup that tastes of orchard honey and one that tastes of damp hay.
Garden note
Chamomile self-sows generously. A small annual patch becomes a perennial drift within two seasons. It loves poor, dry soil and resents being pampered.