Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) · Herb Profile

At a glance

Botanical name: Matricaria chamomilla
Family: Asteraceae
Part used: Flower
Taste: Bitter, Sweet
Temperature: Cool
Moisture: Dry

No pre-1900 source found for this exact plant. The old books give their degree for Roman chamomile, a different plant from the German chamomile this entry is about.

Safety at a glance

In pregnancy

Generally considered safe

While breastfeeding

Excellent safety profile; traditionally used for nursing mothers and their infants. Asteraceae allergy in infant or mother is the sole caution.

For children

One of the safest herbs for children; classic colic remedy

Cautions

Asteraceae allergy; may potentiate anticoagulants

General contraindications

Generally considered safe in moderation

Stewardship

Chamomile (German, Matricaria) is an easy garden annual; widely cultivated in Egypt, Hungary, Eastern Europe. Stewardship: the gentlest herb for the youngest — teach with it first; gratitude for what small creatures give.

In the traditional record

Chamomile — referenced in Egyptian Ebers Papyrus (1550 BCE); dedicated by Egyptians to the sun god Ra for its healing qualities

Which herbs suit your body?

The same herb can calm one person and wire another. Our free assessment reads your pattern across temperature, moisture and tone, then matches herbs to it.

Take the free assessment Open Chamomile in the Apothecary

Teaching children at home? Eden's Table builds a full herbalism curriculum around plants like this one.

Educational use

The Apothecary is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a diagnosed condition.

On our sources

These entries draw on public-domain materia medica, most of it published before 1900, alongside a smaller number of modern reference works. Energetic qualities such as warming, cooling, drying and moistening are a traditional framework for describing how a plant behaves in the body, not a laboratory measurement. Where a period source states one, we cite it. Where none does, and for many North American herbs none exists, the value reflects modern herbal consensus rather than a historical text. When we cannot support a caution with real evidence, we say nothing rather than guess.