Harvesting Roman Chamomile
Harvesting & propagating for free plants next year
Part three:
There are several varieties of chamomile including, apparently, one called stinking chamomile which will not be on my 2027 seed list.
There is also one which grows abundantly in the UK called corn chamomile, or sometimes field chamomile. This is readily available as seeds and I picked some up last year thinking it was the one that I wanted but was sadly disappointed when it had no smell at all.
The one I love best is called Roman chamomile which has a beautiful, sweet, calming scent. Some people say it smells of apples, or bubble gum!? I don't think it smells of either. It smells like, well it smells like chamomile! I first smelled the smell when my first daughter was a baby and I used Kamillosan ointment for her nappy rash. Sadly it has long since been discontinued in the UK. The smell was just so comforting.
Chamomile oil is used in many cosmetics as a soothing, inflamation reducing ingredient, and is also made into herbal tea which is also soothing and good for aiding sleep.
It is very easy to grow from seed and doesn't take much looking after really. It is quite drought tolerant and flowers for a long period, which is great for bees, especially into the autumn months when other sources of pollen and nectar are becoming scarce. It has lovely daisy flowers and that smell! Heavenly.
The flowers can be used for a tisane picked straight from the plant, or picked just after they open, then dried on a kitchen towel and stored for future use. They are the part with most concentrated oils so they make the most flavourful tea, although the leaves can also be used.
Harvesting the seeds is super easy and should be done when the flowers die off on the plant. Collect them on a dry day when they are very dark brown. This wee video shows how. Enjoy 🦋