Chamomile tea is fabulous for calming those frazzled nerves. The soothing begins as soon as you drink the delicate taste, and the chemical compounds within the tea will have you feeling calmer by the end of your first cup.
When you are ready to pick-up your chamomile, you can find 2 main kinds. These two kinds share similar functions, but because the appearance is different you should find it not a problem to choose the right kind for your needs.
You can try German chamomile for several different things ranging from teas to lotions. Its woody, apple smell is light and fresh and its scent and daisy-like appearance will cheer up up any area.
German chamomile is self-seeding, which is good because it is an annual and this will save you some trouble with planting it again and again. You can even collect the seeds to use elsewhere in your garden or give some to a friend.
It will do better in full or direct sun and dry conditions. It can grow straight up, unlike Roman chamomile, and your German chamomile herb should grow to a height of nearly three feet.
The best way to raise German chamomile is to either plant the seeds in a container inside or to sprinkle them on the ground. Regardless of whether you plant the seeds inside or outdoors, you don’t need to bury them because they are so tiny. The sod should be kept moist (not wet) and if you potted your German chamomile make sure you don’t transplant the seedlings until they are at least 4 inches tall. If you’re growing it outdoors, every 4 weeks throughout the growing season sow more seeds so that your harvest can be even greater. The more German chamomile you grow, the better because this herb has a low floral yield.
I read about that one brilliant variety of German chamomile is double-flowered, which I would love to see.
Roman chamomile, which is frequently called “true chamomile” or “English chamomile” is also nice in teas to ease nervous tension. English chamomile has the same woody, apple-like smell of the German chamomile, but it is special in that it’s a creeper or ground cover rather than a bushy herb.
This plant will only grow to about 10 inches high as it creeps along the ground. In the summer, the Roman chamomile will get a little taller and sprout little white flowers with yellow centers that are similar to the German chamomile, but more pungent.
If you’d like your hair to be lighter or softer, you can use the natural oil from the Roman chamomile plant. A few types are even used to flavor sherry.
This herb is not actually best if started from seeds, so I recommend you get it or start with a division from someone else’s Roman chamomile.
Fortunately Roman chamomile is drought resistant and able to grow for long periods of time without water, for those of you who forget this necessary task.
Believe it or not, even though these two plants look alike, taste alike and have the same name, according to the scientists, they are not related at all.
Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.
Here is more information on Tea Herb Gardening. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.
↑ Back to Top