Roman Chamomile

Chamaemelum nobile

Also known as English Chamomile, Garden Chamomile, Ground Apple, True Chamomile, Anthemis nobilis

At a glance

Family

Asteraceae (daisy family)

Type

Low-growing perennial herb

Parts used

Flowers (occasionally foliage)

Size

6 to 12 inches tall, spreading into a dense mat

Bloom

Summer, June through August

Habitat

Dry meadows, sunny lawns, and sandy open ground across Western Europe

Acquisition

Grow or buy

Traditional remedies in HerbSense

Key benefits

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Traditionally calming and soothing

Eases digestive discomfort

Gentle skin and eye care

Supports restful sleep

Traditional uses

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Roman chamomile has been treasured in European herbalism for centuries as a gentle, apple-scented comfort herb, brewed into tea to soothe a restless stomach and quiet a busy mind before bed. The Anglo-Saxons counted it among their nine sacred herbs, believed to guard against illness and ward off harm. Through the Middle Ages and into Victorian times, it was tucked into pillows, strewn on floors to freshen the air, and grown along garden paths so that a passing footstep would release its warm, fruity fragrance. Generations of grandmothers reached for a cup of chamomile tea as the simplest household remedy for an unsettled belly or a hard day.

How to grow & use it

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✦Remedies & preparations
✦ Growing guide
✦Harvest & storage

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Pairs well with

✦Lavender
✦Lemon Balm
✦Peppermint

Substitutes

✦German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
✦Lemon Balm

Choose it when

“For the quiet hour before sleep, when you want the whole day to soften into something as simple as a warm apple-scented cup.”

Did you know?

Roman chamomile earned a reputation as the herb that thrives on neglect, since walking or sitting on it only crushes its leaves and releases more of its sweet, apple-like fragrance, which is exactly why Tudor gardeners planted it as a living, scented lawn instead of grass.

Safety

Roman chamomile is a daisy-family plant, so people sensitive to ragweed or related plants may react to it. Its natural coumarin content means it's traditionally avoided by people on blood thinners like warfarin, and its old reputation as an emmenagogue means it's generally avoided in medicinal amounts during pregnancy.