Common chamomile is an extremely useful plant, blooming white from spring to the end of summer. It can grow as a weed or a cultivated plant. Chamomile is easy to grow and is often used in herbal medicine. It has a very wide range of applications and is valued for its healing properties. Learn the benefits of chamomile and learn how to grow it in your garden.
Common chamomile - Matricaria chamomilla
Fig. pixabay.com
Camomile - description
Common chamomile(Matricaria chamomilla, formerly Chamomilla recutita) is an aromatic annual plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. The cultivation of chamomileand the possibility of its use in herbal medicine and cosmetology were known in antiquity.
Chamomile grows up to 45 cm. It has pleasantly fragrant flowers in the form of baskets with white ligulate flowers on the edges and yellow, tubular flowers in the center of the basket. Chamomile blooms from May to early September. It occurs naturally in fields, meadows and roadside roads. It is also a popular grain weed. However, due to the valuablehealing properties of chamomile , it is worth getting interested in its cultivation in the garden.
Growing chamomile
When to sow chamomile?
Chamomile seeds are sown in the fall (September) or in spring to a permanent place. The fall term gives better results. After sowing, the seeds are stuck on, but not covered with soil. We water sparingly so as not to rinse the seeds.
Chamomile - cultivation requirements
Chamomile does not have too high soil requirements. A clay, medium-fertile and even sandy soil is good for it, but it grows less well.Growing chamomileworks best on calcareous soils. The stand should be well sunlit.
Common chamomile has a wide range of applications and numerous healing properties
Fig. pixabay.com
At the spring sowing date, the first emergence should appear after a week. In the initial period ofgrowing chamomile , weed the place where the plants are sown and growing. It is worth knowing that chamomile spreads abundantly on its own, so if you do not control it, it can quickly become a nuisance weed.
Harvesting and drying chamomile
Chamomileis mainly grown to collect flower baskets. We collect them in the afternoon, by hand or with a special comb.Harvest chamomilegradually, as the flower heads mature. Choose flowers that have fully developed but have not yet directed their white petals downwards. Then they need to be dried quickly. To do this, spread the baskets in a thin layer in the shade.Then put them into cardboard boxes, remembering not to knead them.
Chamomile - application and healing properties
Chamomile is widely used. The most important active ingredient is fragrant volatile oil containing chamazulene and bisabolol. Chamazulen gives the oil a blue color as well as anti-inflammatory and healing properties. In addition, chamomile contains bitterness, mucilage, resins, coumarin, organic acids and vitamin C.
The use of chamomile in cosmetics
The wide use ofchamomileis used in cosmetics. Chamomile extract is used in creams, soaps, face lotions, masks, shampoos, etc. Camomile owes such wide application to its excellent effect on the skin (heals, cleans and regenerates). Chamomile rinse brightens dark hair and enhances the color of fair hair, giving them a beautiful shine.
Dried chamomile
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Healing properties of chamomile
Chamomile infusion is used to remove any rashes and ulcers. To obtain an infusion, pour 10g of chamomile herb, 100ml of boiling water and let it brew for 10 minutes.
Chamomile hasbactericidal, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, digestive, analgesic and even calming properties.The use of chamomileis also used to improve the work of the digestive system, liver and kidneys. It is especially recommended for nervous ailments.
Chamomile can be used to rinse the throat or mouth in case of any inflammation. Due to its gentle action, chamomile is used in the care and treatment of young children and even newborns.
Chamomile tea
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Camomile - use in gardening
Chamomile is also widely used in horticulture It is a good neighbor for many plant species as it stimulates their growth, increases disease resistance and improves taste. Chamomile herb and flowers should be added to the compost to speed up the composting process.
On the basis of chamomile, preparations for spraying against plant diseases and pests are also prepared . For this purpose, fresh or dried flower baskets and chamomile leaves collected during flowering are used.
Chamomile extract- to prepare it, grind 300g of fresh herb or 100g of dried chamomile flowers and leaves, pour 1 liter of water at 70 ° C, and leave it for 12-24 hours. For spraying, it is used diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 5. Helps in the fight against such pests as: aphids, honeysuckle, spider mites and leaf-eating caterpillars (leaf-eaters, cabbage moth, cruciferous moth).
Chamomile decoction- 100g dried chamomile pour 10 liters of water and set aside for 12-24 hours.Then cook for 20 minutes. After cooling, dilute with water in a ratio of 1: 5 and use for spraying on raspberry shoots dieback. For this, raspberries are sprayed in early spring, right after the raspberry shoots are trimmed. For full effectiveness, spraying is performed daily for 3 consecutive days and again after 14 days.
Chamomile infusion- 10g dry chamomile flowers pour 1 liter of hot water and leave to cool, covered. Then we dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 5. This infusion is used to strengthen plants and treat seeds. When used for dressing, it disinfects seeds and accelerates their germination. Seeds intended for sowing should be soaked in chamomile infusion for 15 minutes.
Katarzyna Matuszak
Katarzyna Matuszak
