Photo credit:
Eggybird, flickr
Chamomile, or Matricaria recutita, is a flowering annual plant whose dried flowers are used for tea. Native to Europe and temperate Asia, it is also grown widely in North America and Australia, and can often be found growing wild in soil that's been worked; near roads and landfills, and in agricultural fields as a weed. It is used medicinally for a variety of ailments and is thought to calm nerves and aid sleep. It is thought to relieve a sore stomach, irritable bowels, as a mouthwash against oral mucositis, and has acaricidal properties against some mites.
Chamomile is also used as a rinse for blonde hair, and chamomile extracts are found in many shampoos and conditioners.
For medicinal-strength tea, pour one pint of boiling water over one ounce of chamomile flowers and steep for 10 minutes.
In agriculture, chamomile is considered both a beneficial plant, thought to enhance the production of essential oils and develop stronger flavor in herbs such as sage and mint, and an invasive species, spreading eagerly over open fields.
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