Why does German chamomile make a blue oil?
roman chamomile Vs german chamomile in herbal medicine
German chamomile makes an azure blue oil, but Roman chamomile is clear -why? The answer is the reason why they’re not totally interchangeable in herbal medicine.
chamomile is generally honey to the nervous system- its pearl and gold flower like a soft hat, keeping you warm, keeping you safe, keeping you hidden away.
i use chamomile a lot, for angry guts, wired nervous states, anxiety, restless sleep, stress, infections, skin itches etc.. anything that’s hot and irritated and excited and breaking boundaries.
but, though they look similar, there’s a difference between German and Roman chamomile.
German - Matricaria chamomillla
‘matricaria’ comes from ‘matrix’ meaning ‘womb’ (that in itself is a rabbit hole). German chamomile was traditionally applied for menstrual issues, and is the most commonly used in commercial products.
German chamomile essential oil comes out as a royal azure blue (and stains!), this is a result of its high chamazulene content. This chamazulene is responsible (in part) for its strong anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect, making it perfect for hot-irritated bacterial skin and gut issues.
German chamomile is more indicated for bacterial issues, hot-irritation and dryness, wound-healing, and skin issues. It soothes, calms and sedates inflammation.
Roman - Anthemis nobilis
Roman chamomile makes for a more bitter, pale tea; it contains less azure-blue chamazulene, and more angelic and tigilic acid altogether making it suited for calming spasms and relaxing the nervous system.
Roman chamomile is more indicated for spasms, wired nervous state, mental relaxation, sleep issues. It has an affinity for the nervous system especially inside of the gut. Roman chamomile is therefore more suited to menstrual issues.
I adore chamomile, and its ancient story - It was considered one of the 9 sacred herbs of the anglo-saxons and used in ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt. The name ‘chamomile’ comes from Greek meaning ‘ground-apple’ in references to its sweet, heady scent, and its whole energy is reminiscent of a warm, dewy spring morning in an orchard.
