Medicinal Herb Post #1 written May 21, 2018
Busy harvesting lots of medicinal herbs today. I’d like to start a daily (or maybe realistically, weekly) post on simple herbs to grow and their uses. One of my favorites is chamomile. It is incredibly versatile! German (Matricaria recutita) is the annual variety and self seeds very well. Roman (Chamaemelum nobile) is a perennial that comes back every year. Don’t confuse it with feverfew (they don’t bloom at the same time anyway). You can tell the difference by the shape of leaves. Chamomile has a fern like shape and feverfew has a broader shaped leaf. They also smell very different. Chamomile has a sweet apple like smell and feverfew is more musty. Feverfew is fantastic for headaches, including migraines and stimulating menstrual flow (so feverfew should not be taken during pregnancy). The chamomile herb is very safe, but should be avoided if one is taking sleep aids or allergic to ragweed.
You’ll want to gather the flowers in the late morning or early afternoon when they are open and the petals are a nice disc shape. Once the petals droop let them go to seed. I planted a seed packet years and years ago and have never had to buy since. They grow in my pathways around my garden boxes. I just pull out the ones that I don’t want and get plenty yearly.
Chamomile is a great anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, nervine (pain), antispasmodic and includes many other qualities. It’s great for sore throats, teething babies, intestinal issues including ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, great for digestion, supports the liver and urinary system and is very good for anxiety/insomnia. Wow! It is definitely one to have in the garden!
So what am I going to do with my chamomile? I’ll harvest, dry and use with other herbs. Here’s a few ideas and recipes:
Sore throat tea: equal parts chamomile, calendula, marshmallow and licorice. 2 tsp per dose, 3x a day.
Stomachache/gastritis: equal parts chamomile, peppermint, marshmallow. 2 tsp as needed. For ulcers add calendula and comfrey.
For colic and gas: equal parts catnip, chamomile, fennel and licorice. Same dosage as above.
For diarrhea: 2 parts bentonite clay, 2 parts marshmallow, 1 part angelica seed and 1 part sage. 4 tsp 2x a day.
Liver cleanse: equal parts chamomile, burdock root, Oregon grape and dandelion root. 2 tsp 2x a day for 2 weeks. Liver Restorative (used after a cleanse): equal parts chamomile, yellow dock root, cleavers and milk thistle. Same dosage as above.
Menstrual cramps: equal parts chamomile, cramp bark, ginger and fennel. 1 tsp as needed.
Insomnia: equal parts chamomile, valerian, skullcap. (2 tsp just before bed). Add lobelia and black cohosh for nerve pain 2 tsp 2x a day.
Anxiety: chamomile, St. Johns Wort, lemon balm, oat straw. 2 tsp 2x a day.
Bladder infection: equal parts chamomile, 2 corn silk, juniper berry, 2 marshmallow, cranberry. 2 tsp 2x a day.
What do you do with your chamomile?
