The many types of chamomile in my garden

 PINEAPPLE weed - Wild Chamomile 

Wild chamomile is edible and is a wonderful medicinal with uses similar to “traditional” German chamomile.  The genus name, Matricaria, comes from the Latin word for uterus, referring to some species use in relieving cramps. The flowers have been used in traditional and folk medicine for centuries to aid digestion, promote relaxation and sleepiness, and as a mild pain reliever.  

Pineapple weed

This came to my property many years ago and somehow thrives being run over and trampled next to the driveway and where the mailman drives every day to deliver mail.  I believe it deserves a place in the back garden where other herbs are growing.  It is delightfully fragrant.  I love it.  

CHAMOMILE NOBILE - ROMAN

When I travelled to Cornwall, I visited a garden in Covarack, a gorgeous coastal village in the southern part of Cornwall, and discovered the lawn herb, chamomile "Nobile" and brought some seeds home with me as my lawn is a combination of perennial rye, clover,  dandelions, and plantains.  Roman chamomile is a low growing perennial  in the Asteraceae (daisy) family.  It is native to Europe and western Asia.  Its roots are creeping and sturdy which allows it to spread and keep a firm foundation.

                                         Chamomile Nobile flower
                                         Chamomile Nobile leaves 

 But I also had sprinkled a seed pack of Roman chamomile in the back area of the organic vegetable garden by the strawberries.  My confusion was that I had purchased chamomile nobile from England, and also Roman chamomile from MiGardener in the States.  Now I see that they are one in the same. duh! I DON'T BELIEVE DRINKING ROMAN CHAMOMILE IS GOOD FOR ME.  (Allergies)   Roman chamomile seems safe for most people when taken by mouth as medicine and in foods. In large amounts, it can cause vomiting. It can also cause an allergic reaction in people sensitive to ragweed, marigolds, daisies, or similar herbs.

GERMAN CHAMOMILE 

Then there's the tried and true German chamomile which is an annual.  Those were the chamomile plants I sowed for years, but they often re-seed. German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is an herb that is native to southern and eastern Europe. It is popular throughout the world as a medicine. German chamomile contains chemicals that seem to promote relaxation and reduce swelling. It was used by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, and is still commonly used today. People use German chamomile for common cold, indigestion, anxiety, excessive crying in infants (colic), and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Do not confuse German chamomile with Roman chamomile, which is a different plant.

                                    Annual German Chamomile 

                                 Annual German Chamomile plant 

PYRETHRUM PLANT

And making it more confusing, a few years back, I planted pyrethrum seeds as a companion crop for the brassica plants to ward off aphids and white flies. Pyrethrum was a genus of several Old World plants now classified as Chrysanthemum or Tanacetum which are cultivated as ornamentals for their showy flower heads. Pyrethrum continues to be used as a common name for plants formerly included in the genus Pyrethrum.



                                   Pyrethrum flower has a flat center 

                      not cone shaped center as German chamomile

pyrethrum patch

Since my concussion, I have difficulty with my vision, and it's possible that the perennial Roman, annual German (self sowing), and perennial Pyrethrum flowers have all intermingled in the garden.  And I believe it's the perennial Roman chamomile that has become a bit matted and invasive.  It's thriving in the garden but has taken over space where the vegetables need to be sown.  PLEASE NOTE:  It contains sesquiterpene lactones, which are known to instigate allergic reactions as well as being noxious when ingested. Roman chamomile also contains anthemic acid, a known emetic, and in large or prolonged doses can also cause vomiting, diarrhea, gastritis, and heartburn.

As with anything, caution should be used when taking chamomile tea because of it's interactions with estrogen in the body.  And Pyrethrum is not meant for making tea. 

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