Called ‘ground apple’ by the Greeks, the Elizabethans cultivated chamomile lawns in their ornamental gardens as the flowers when crushed underfoot release the scent of apples. There are two different species of chamomile, distinguished by the green receptacle at the base of the flower.

Roman chamomile has a solid receptacle whereas German has a hollow receptacle. It is the latter which produces the distinctive blue oil, and was so valued for its medicinal properties that the Anglo-Saxons considered it one of the nine sacred herbs given to mankind by Woden.

A mild sedative, chamomile tea has become one of the most popular herbal teas in modern usage and is taken to aid sleep, ease anxiety and calm digestive complaints. Its uses, however, go far beyond this.

Culpeper claims that “a stone that hath been taken out of the body of a man, being wrapped in chamomile, will in a little time dissolve.”

Externally, it is used as an anti-inflammatory, in skin care, and as a hair rinse for blondes to bring out the shine. After centuries of use, chamomile’s remarkable healing power combined with its gentleness (there are no known side-effects) is finally attracting modern medical recognition.

Chamomile is used in the Burren Perfumery's herbal teas and is also part of the fragrance of the Summer Harvest in the Burren Botanicals.

This information is purely for the interest of the reader and should not be taken as medical advice. If you wish to utilise herbal remedies, please consult a qualified herbalist before doing so.