Anthemis nobilis

(L.) All.

Common Chamomile, Roman chamomile

Asteraceae Edible: Flowers, Herb, Leaves - drink Potential hazards — see below

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Description

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 10-30 cm high and spreads 30 cm wide. It has a creeping stem which is much branched. The leaves are divided and downy. They are feathery. They have a scent. The flower heads occur singly. There are white ray florets and yellow disk florets. The base of the flower head is solid and this enables it to be distinguished from German chamomile (Matricaria recutita).

Edible Uses

The fresh or dried leaves are brewed as tea. The flower heads are harvested, dried, and steam-distilled to extract essential oil used to flavor liqueurs and herbal teas.

Traditional Uses

The oil is used to flavour liqueurs. The fresh or dried leaves are drunk as a tea. The flower heads are harvested and dried and the essential oil extracted by steam distillation. This oil is used to flavour liqueurs and herbal teas. CAUTION: It should be used only in small amounts as a flavouring agent.

Medicinal Uses

The essential oil extracted from flower heads has traditional uses in herbal preparations.

Known Hazards

Should be used only in small amounts as a flavoring agent.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It is drought resistant. It needs full sun. It suits hardiness zones 4-10. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, Asia, Australia, Argentina, Britain, Europe, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Pakistan, Portugal, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tasmania, USA,

Cultivation

It is grown from seed or rooted sections.

Notes

There are 4 Chamaemelum species.

Synonyms

Anthriscus nobilisAnthemis nobilis L.Chamaemelum nobile (L.) Au. Ormenis nobilis (L.) J. Gay ex Coss. & Germ.

Also Known As

English chamomile, Garden chamomile, Noble chamomile, Rimska divja kamilica, Russian chamomile

References (25)

Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 44 (As Anthemis nobilis)
Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 33
Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 443
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 88 (As Anthemis nobilis)
Bremness, L., 1994, Herbs. Collins Eyewitness Handbooks. Harper Collins. p 159

Show all 25 references

Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 255
Brown, D., 2002, The Royal Horticultural Society encyclopedia of Herbs and their uses. DK Books. p 164
Burnie, G & Fenton-Smith, J., 1999, A Grower's Guide to Herbs. Murdoch Books. p 21
Cheifetz, A., (ed), 1999, 500 popular vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts for Australian Gardeners. Random House p 121
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 367
Curtis, W.M., 1963, The Students Flora of Tasmania Vol 2 p 352 (As Anthemis nobilis)
Esperanca, M. J., 1988. Surviving in the wild. A glance at the wild plants and their uses. Vol. 2. p 321
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 35
Flora of Pakistan.
Fl. pedem. 1:185. 1785
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 59 (As Anthemis nobilis)
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 65
Huxley, A. (Ed.), 1977, The Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom. Chartweil Books. p 154
Kiple, K.F. & Ornelas, K.C., (eds), 2000, The Cambridge World History of Food. CUP p 1890 (As Anthemis nobilis)
Mabey, R., 1973, Food for Free. A Guide to the edible wild plants of Britain, Collins. p 157
Michael, P., 2007, Edible Wild Plants and Herbs. Grub Street. London. p 56
Morley, B. & Everard, B., 1970, Wild Flowers of the World. Ebury press. Plate 40
Skinner, G. & Brown, C., 1981, Simply Living. A gatherer's guide to New Zealand's fields, forests and shores. Reed. p 43 (As Anthemis nobilis)
Tasmanian Herbarium Vascular Plants list p 6
van Wyk, B., 2005, Food Plants of the World. An illustrated guide. Timber press. p 128