Chamomile

Common Names: German Chamomile, Single Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Pineapple Weed

Botanical Name: Matricaria chamomilla, M. recutita, Chamaemelum nobile

Plant Family: Asteraceae, Composite Family

Parts Used: Flower Heads

Actions: Calmative, nervine, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anodyne, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, carminative (Systems affected: Liver, Stomach, Lungs)

Habitat: Roman and German Chamomile is not native to the US but is commonly found in gardens. Pineapple weed is our local weed that shares similar medicinal qualities as German and Roman Chamomile. Pineapple weed grows in disturbed areas, lives on the edge, or compact pathways. This plant loves full sun and well-drained soil (but it can be compact!). Depending on the variety of Chamomile it can be a perennial or an annual.

Collection: I collect Chamomile flowers just as they begin to bloom in June or July. I recommend pinching the yellow disc flower parts of Chamomile and taking a deep breath. Its aroma is sweet and soothing.

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German Chamomile compared to Roman Chamomile: The easiest differentiation between the two most common varieties of chamomile is that Roman Chamomile spreads perennially by rhizome and German Chamomile is a single branching annual. Both varieties grow to be about 1 foot or so, with the German Chamomile standing more erect and the Roman Chamomile growing with semi prostate branches. The main difference between these two types of chamomile really affects the grower… Do you want a self-seeding annual that can be quite unruly? Or do you want a contained, hardy grass-like chamomile that thrives anywhere from rock gardens to wetland?

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Chamomile Medicine:

Nervousness & Irritability

Lesley Tierra calls chamomile the “Calm Child Herb”.  It has high assimilable calcium that calms the nervous system and digestive system. It helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth, hence it is a great aid for teething and irritable children. Give them a glass of chamomile tea, or let them suck on the tea bag to relieve any irritable tension.

Whether you drink a tea infused with Chamomile or take drops of a tincture or even a Flower Remedy, you’ll find that Chamomile quiets, relaxes and centers a person. It provides a sense of well-being, nourishment, support and security. Clinical studies have shown that people who drink a cup of Chamomile tea before bed have a deep, restful sleep. This herb calms the body, relaxes the nerves and aids digestion.

Digestion

Chamomile makes an excellent treatment for nausea, vomiting, indigestion and loss of appetite. It both stimulates digestive secretions while relaxing the muscles of the gut, and together it helps maintain and normalize digestive function.

Menstrual Cramps/ Back Pain/ Inflammation

Chamomile is an effective anti-inflammatory. Taken internally, it can help adults suffering from gastrointestinal spasms, menstrual cramps, back pain and diarrhea. The flowers have high amounts of azulene, which is a volatile oil that serves as an anti-inflammatory and antifever agents. It’s useful for arthritic pains and any other joint inflammation.

Eye Health

Chamomile is most commonly used in our household as an eye wash. We make a loose-flower tea bag and steep it in boiled water for 15 minutes. Before bed, we place the tea bag on each eye and perhaps drink the tea (separately) while we are at it. The following morning, we awake with a significant amount of “eye-boogers” or “sleep” which greatened due to our pre-bed eye soak. The chamomile helped cleanse our eyes, pulling out any dust, particles, irritants. Chamomile tea compresses can also relieve irritated inflammation of conjunctivitis, or pink eye.

Midwives & Mothers

The mild and effective sedative qualities of chamomile make this one both a mother and child’s go-to green ally. A chamomile tea can be given to young children, including babies with immature digestive system induced colic. If you are giving chamomile tea to an infant, dilute the full strength tea to half and administer through 1-2 dropper fulls. The dry flowers can also be used in relaxing postpartum teas and a baby’s first bath.

Upset Tummy Teas

Calming Teas

 

References:

A Kid’s Herb Book for Children of All Ages by Lesley Tierra

Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses by Deni Brown

Medicinal Herbs; A Beginner’s Guide by Rosemary Gladstar

Calendula

Common Names: Pot Marigold, Garden Marigold

Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis, C. arvensis

Plant Family: Asteraceae, Composite Family

Parts Used: Flowers, Flower buds, leaves sometimes extending into the stem

Actions: astringent, antiseptic, vulnery, anti-inflammatory, immune modulating, antimicrobial, lymphatic, antispasmodic, emmenagogue, hepatic, demulcent, antitumor

Habitat: Calendula can be found in most gardens. It has been used since the 12th Century in Europe and even earlier in Egypt. It tends to grow in full sun. Calendula is a perennial that will come back throughout the Calendar months.

Collection: Calendula will begin its growth from early spring and bloom into late Fall, even during the first snowfall. It’s an extremely hardy flower that mirrors the radiant glow of the sun. Calendula flowers should be picked as soon as they begin to open (you can harvest some of the flower buds as well). If you harvest the full flower top, it will encourage new flower heads to emerge.

Notice when collecting these flowers how sticky your fingers get from the resin. Resin obtains antifungal properties, so you’re benefiting from the medicine upon touching this plant.

Calendula Medicine:

Calendula is used for so much. It is as friendly as it appears and brings sunshine and warm energy to our bodies.

Photos by Rachael Witt

Here is a broad list of uses for Calendula:

·      Wounds, scrapes, cuts, sores, burns, bruises

·      Skin issues (and pain) such as eczema, measles, chickenpox, skin eruptions

·      Diaper rash and rashes in general

·      Bee and wasp stings, insect bites

·      Radiation & UV protection, dry skin, chapped lips

·      Earaches

·      Stagnant lymph

·      Minor and chronic infections

·      Delayed menses & cramps

·      Ulcers, indigestion, Digestive inflammation

Skin Indications

David Hoffman claims that Calendula is “one of the best herbs for treating local skin problems.” It is a powerful vulnery, which helps the repair and growth of damaged skin cells. Calendula is an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-septic, anti-fungal AND anti-microbial all of which supports connective tissue and aids in wound healing. It can be applied topically or taken internally to suppress an infection, especially skin infections. One of the main uses I see for Calendula is an oil infusion that mother’s put on their babies coping with diaper rash. A powder of the flowers mixed with warm water also eases the irritation of rashes. Other ailments that Calendula helps in regards to the skin include chapped lips/nipples/etc. bruises, burns and sores, itching, insect stings, etc.

Lymph Flow

Nourish and cleanse your lymphatic system with the gentle herb Calendula. It’s a lymph-node decongestant that helps with lymphadenitis and lymphadenoma. Combine Calendula with Burdock, Red Clover, Chickweed and Oregon Grape for the ultimate lymph drainage tea or tincture. It’s important to move, sweat and keep the lymphatic system moving because it is an important part of the immune system and also removing toxins from the body.

Studies have shown calendula’s effect on cancer cells. It is shown to be effective against the cells of colon cancer, leukemia, and melanoma. Paul Bergner states “Calendula acts to mobilize white blood cells, stimulate lymphatic drainage, decrease inflammation of the lymph nodes, and generally support lymphatic circulation.”

Digestive Aid

Calendula is a mild astringent and antiseptic. It’s helpful for treating gastrointestinal issues such as ulcers, cramps, indigestion and diarrhea. Combined with plantain, Calendula can repair and heal the gut lining that’s been damaged by leaky gut. Its anti-inflammatory qualities help reduce digestive inflammation, including gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Calendula Food

Prepare your summer salads and Fall soups with these vibrant flower petals! It will bring light into your meal and also provide you with many sweet, yet bitter flavors. It will dye your rice yellow like saffron.

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Calendula can be prepared in to oils, tinctures, homeopathic remedies, ointments, salves, infusions or simply masticated and packed on a wound. 

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Spring Garden Salad

 2 cup leaf lettuce, torn apart

 2 cup dandelion greens, torn apart

1 cup very young comfrey leaves, shredded

1 cup spinach leaves, shredded

1 cup Queen Anne lace blossoms, separated

½ cup Calendula blossoms

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

 Dressing:

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp fresh black pepper

2 Tbsp. honey

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup oil

Directions:

Combine all salad greens and blossoms in a salad bowl; toss well. Place all dressing ingredients, except oil, in blender on low speed. Turn blender to high; add oil slowly. Pour over tossed salad and serve immediately. Serves 12. (Edible Flowers a Recipe Collection)

References:

Medicinal Herbs; A Beginner’s Guide by Rosemary Gladstar

The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman

A Kid’s Herb Book for Children of All Ages by Lesley Tierra

300 Herbs; Their Indications & Contraindications by Matthew Alfs

Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth by Dr. Sharol Marie Tilgner

Edible Flowers A Recipe Collection by Marilyn Land

Linden

The Song of the Lime Tree Fairy

Bees! Bees! Come to the trees

Where the Lime has hung her treasures;

Come, come, hover and hum;

Come and enjoy your pleasures!

The feast is ready, the guests are bidden;

Under the petals the honey is hidden;

Like pearls shine the drops of sweetness there,

And the scent of Lime-flowers fills the air.

But soon these blossoms pretty and pale

Will all be gone; and the leaf-like sail

Will bear the little round fruits away;

So bees! Bees! Come while you may!

“The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies”

by Cicely Mary Barker

Common Names: Lime Flowers, Basswood

Botanical Name: Tilia platyphyllos, T. cordata, T. americana, T. europaea

Plant Family: Tiliaceae

Parts Used: Flowers, buds and leaves

Actions: Nervine, hypotensive, calming tonic (Systems affected: Liver, Nerves, Digestion)

Habitat: Tilia americana is found throughout North America and T. cordite is commonly growing and collected in Europe. They can be used interchangeably. It’s native to northern latitudes, and is planted as a common ornamental tree along roadsides or in parks. It grows in full sun or sample shade. Linden is an adaptable tree and can grow to be quite hardy.

Collection: Have you ever wandered downtown and smelled something sweet blowing in the wind? Or followed a humming sound in the distance just to find yourself under a tree where the honey bees are lined up waiting to get at the sweet flowers of a Linden tree? Come mid-late summer, Linden buds are blooming. 

When harvesting Linden flowers, try to do so as they begin to open. Harvest the buds, flowers and new leaflets as you go. Some folks prefer to cut branches and then pick the desired parts off, some folks slide their hand along the branch and scrape off buds, new leaves, flowers and mature leaves. I tend to pick the buds, new leaves and flowers one by one or by the handful. I collect from trees that would be far too tall to harvest, if I were to cut back the lower branches or strip all of its photosynthesizing parts away…

 

Linden Medicine:

Anti-Inflammatory

Place a handful of dry Linden flowers in a quart jar then pour hot or cold water to fill the jar to the top. Cover with a lid and let this infusion sit for up to 8 hours (best left overnight). Open the jar in the morning, strain the flowers out (setting them aside for a second or even third infusion) and drink the strong herbal infusion. Feel the slipperiness of slide down your throat. This demulcent property helps reduce inflammation, moisturize the skin and soothe the digestive system. Try a poultice or fomentation with these flowers and see how they reduce inflammation topically… You might find it helping with burns, boils and abscesses.

Relaxing Nervine

Linden is a common tea throughout the UK and Europe. Perhaps its due to its calming qualities? Anxiousness, tense muscles, headache tension, cramps (muscular and menstrual), sleeplessness; Linden calms the nervous system. Linden is an amazing remedy for stress and panic. It allows the body to release tension, breathe and rest. A tea of Linden can help a restless child before bed, astudent before a test, or an overworked adult.

Colds, Influenza, fevers

While Linden relieves tension in the musculature, it aids circulation to the skin; hence, moving heat out of the body. Ever have a child with a high fever and tension? Give them some Linden tea to unwind the tension while reducing the body’s temperature.

As I stated above, Linden is slippery. It’s a soothing, mucilaginous tea that can help a dry, irritated and sore throat. Linden helps in catarrhal symptoms like bronchitis or coughing. People with asthma can drink this tea for relief as well.

Hypertension & the Heart

Linden is a vasodilator (which dilates blood vessels). In and of itself it helps lower blood pressure. This quality of Linden in addition to being a relaxing nerving makes it a remedy for the heart, especially for hypertension. It is known as a prophylactic against arteriosclerosis and hypertension, and also reduces raised blood pressure due to nervous tension.

Skin & Digestion

Linden is an astringent, demulcent and an anti-spasmodic. Its astringency helps tighten and tonify the skin tissues while also helping internally with diarrhea and painful digestion. The demulcent quality adds moisture to the body, helping reduce and soothing inflammation both internally and externally. The anti-spasmodic qualities can help high strung people that are experiencing indigestion. It will help stagnant digestion while calming down a tense tummy.

Linden Tea

1 cup fresh flowers

1 pint boiling water

juice of ½ lemon

Put the flowers in a jug, pour on the boiling water, cover and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Drink a cup while hot, and add the lemon juice to the rest and chill in the refrigerator. (All Good Things Around Us)

References:

Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra

Linden Flower Harvest by Susan Weed

The Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman

All Good Things Around Us by Pamela Michael

Herbalpedia by The Herb Marketing & Growing Network