Several species of plants of the genus Chamomile, as well as several species of their other genera of the Asteraceae family, are very similar in appearance to chamomile. Moreover, the similarities between them are sometimes so strong that even a specialist is not always able to distinguish pharmaceutical chamomile from similar plants the first time.

However, you can always distinguish chamomile from other species if you clearly know characteristics each type. At a minimum, to do this, it is enough to clearly understand the main characteristics of the pharmaceutical chamomile itself, so as not to confuse clearly different species with it.

Previously we cited very detailed description pharmaceutical chamomile with visual photographs, from which the following features of its appearance were revealed:

1. In chamomile, the middle of the inflorescence is always golden yellow, the outer flowers (sometimes called petals) are only white. Decorative forms this plant does not exist, and therefore there is no chamomile with yellow marginal leaves, or a lilac center, or any other combinations. It's only yellow and white. Any other colors indicate that this is another plant;
2. Chamomile always has both inner yellow flowers and outer white flowers. If there are no white ones, it is not a pharmacy chamomile.
3. The size of a chamomile inflorescence is 1.5-2.5 cm. The usual inflorescence is placed on the thumbnail along with white flowers. Again, if in front of us, it seems, is a flower with a yellow center and white edges, but the size of half a palm, this is not a pharmacy chamomile.

For example, in the photo below there are chamomile inflorescences:

Here are the inflorescences of doronicum, or yellow chamomile:

It seems that the inflorescences are similar in appearance, but it is the yellow marginal flowers that make it possible to reliably distinguish doronicum from chamomile.

Likewise, Caucasian chamomile has red marginal flowers:

And Moroccan - white marginal flowers with a small yellow spot at the base:

Here in the photo is odorous or tongueless chamomile:

Its peculiarity is the absence of marginal flower-reeds, for which it received its name.

Finally, here is a photo of pyrethrum cinerarifolia:

It seems that the center of the inflorescence is yellow, and the marginal leaves are white, and one could mistake this plant for a chamomile, but we immediately see that its basket is too large and has a diameter of about 5-6 cm. The inflorescences of a pharmaceutical chamomile do not reach this size.

At this stage, species of the genus Pyrethrum are cut off (their inflorescences are large and usually have different colors marginal leaves), various chrysanthemums with single-colored inflorescences, asters with large inflorescences.

On a note

In common parlance, there is often confusion in the fact that pharmaceutical chamomile is sometimes called ordinary, or ordinary (sometimes even “simple”), and in other cases, on the contrary, ordinary chamomile is called fragrant chamomile, and pharmaceutical chamomile is considered “extraordinary.” Be that as it may, it is very easy to distinguish chamomile from fragrant chamomile by the fact that fragrant chamomile does not have white marginal flowers, and the inflorescence consists only of a yellow “center.”

This means that when we see a flower, we first evaluate:

1. A color scheme. If the center is yellow and the edges are white, move on to the next step. If the color combination is different, it is not a pharmacy chamomile;
2. Presence of white marginal flowers. If they exist, move on to the next step. If they are absent, it is not pharmaceutical chamomile;
3. Dimensions. If the inflorescence is small and its diameter does not exceed 2.5 cm, move on to the next step. If the inflorescence is large, it is not a pharmacy chamomile.

So, in our hands we are left with a plant with small inflorescences, with a yellow center and white marginal flowers. It may already be chamomile, but it may also belong to several other species. Further identification will require an assessment of more specific identifying characteristics and an understanding of which plant species are very similar to chamomile.

Most often, the following types of plants from the Asteraceae family are confused with chamomile:

• Tripleurospermum inodorum; in Latin, Tripleurospermum inodorum;
• Roman chamomile, also known as English chamomile, also known as chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile;
• Dog's navel, or dog's chamomile, or stinking chamomile, in Latin Anthemis cotula;
• Field navel, also known as field chamomile, Anthemis arvensis;
• Russian navel, also known as Russian chamomile, Anthemis ruthenica;
• Common cornflower, Leucanthemum vulgare;
• Pyrethrum corymbosum.

Pyrethrum corymbose inflorescences

All these species have specific features that allow them to be distinguished from chamomile. Let's take a closer look at them...

Differences between chamomile and chamomile

Its main difference from chamomile is the absence of the characteristic tart herbal smell of chamomile. Three-rib flowers do not smell at all, which is why the species got its name.

Flowers of three-ribed inodorous

Also, the three-ribed flower definitely differs from the chamomile in that it does not have an empty cavity inside the receptacle. If you cut vertically the inflorescence of pharmaceutical chamomile and odorless chamomile, then the chamomile inside the inflorescence can see a clear cavity, which the chamomile will not have.

The photo shows this difference:

On the left is an inflorescence of chamomile, on the right is odorless chamomile.

By the way, partly due to the absence of such a cavity, the receptacle of chamomile is hemispherical, not as tall as that of chamomile.

Finally, if you look very carefully at the stem of the odorless chamomile, you will find that there are no hairs on it. The stem of chamomile has, albeit weakly, pubescence.

Roman chamomile

The easiest way to distinguish Roman chamomile from chamomile is by the leaves of the bush. While the chamomile leaves are very thin and look like dill leaves, the Roman chamomile leaves are wide, thick, and abundantly dissected. Its bush seems “shaggy”.

The photo below shows this difference. Here is a Roman chamomile bush:

And here is a chamomile bush:

It is interesting that when collecting and preparing medicinal raw materials for home use Roman chamomile can be safely “confused” with pharmaceutical chamomile, since medicinal properties they are similar. Such mixing is unacceptable only during industrial collection, after which the raw materials can be used to obtain essential oil.

Differences between dog chamomile and chamomile

The main difference between this plant and chamomile is the strong unpleasant odor of its inflorescences. It is for this reason that the dog’s belly button received its unpleasant name “stinking daisy”.

Canine daisy flowers.

Interestingly, this plant is considered poisonous to animals and humans, although it is occasionally purposefully used in folk medicine.

Also, upon careful examination of the inflorescence of the dog's navel, you can see that its receptacle is somewhat raised above the level of the marginal flowers, due to which it resembles a ball. This can be seen in the photo:

The marginal flowers themselves are longer than those of chamomile, and their ends are directed upward, not downward.

Finally, an unambiguous difference between the inflorescences of the canine navel is the absence of a cavity in the receptacle. If you cut the basket of it and chamomile, you can clearly differentiate these plants.

Chamomile inflorescence with a cavity inside.

Field chamomile

This species is perhaps the most difficult to distinguish from chamomile, since the appearance of the bush and inflorescences of these plants are almost completely identical to each other.

And yet, there is an unambiguous difference: the receptacle of the field chamomile does not have an internal cavity, and therefore, when cutting the inflorescence, the species can be accurately identified.

Field chamomile flowers.

This does not mean that when collecting chamomile, each flower needs to be cut so as not to make a mistake. It is enough to do this for a few random flowers in dense thickets to be sure that most of the plants in this area belong to the same species.

If in a large overgrown area several flowers in a row turn out to have a cavity, it means that the entire array here mainly consists of chamomile. If randomly selected flowers do not have a cavity, these are thickets of field chamomile. If the flowers grow mixed up (which rarely happens), you need to move to another area.

Differences from Russian chamomile This species is quite easy to recognize by its flat receptacle: the middle of the inflorescence with yellow flowers

it is not convex, like a pharmaceutical chamomile. This can be clearly seen in the photo:

For comparison, here is a photo of a chamomile inflorescence:

Russian chamomile also has thicker and wider leaves, which is also a good distinguishing feature.

And, finally, it also does not have an empty cavity in the receptacle.

Daisy

1. This species is most easily distinguished from chamomile. It has several clear signs:
2. Whole leaves;
3. Large inflorescences from 35 to 60 mm in diameter. However, the smallest of them may resemble the largest chamomile inflorescences, so errors in identification by this criterion may occur;
4. Flat receptacle;

Absence of a cavity inside the receptacle.

The photo shows cornflower bushes mixed with chamomile bushes: And by appearance

the “middle” of the inflorescences, and it is very easy to distinguish these plants by the leaves.

Differences between pyrethrum corymboses and chamomile In the genus Pyrethrum, this species is characterized by relatively small flowers

, which is why it can be confused with chamomile. Most other pyrethrum species have large flowers.

But here, too, the differences with chamomile are clear: the pyrethrum corymbose bush has wide, thick, squat leaves, and there is no cavity in its flat inflorescence.

This is what a pyrethrum corymbose bush looks like:

And this is a chamomile bush:

It's hard to confuse them with each other.

As a result, holding a chamomile in your hands, or bending over a bush of a plant, you need to find out whether it is chamomile or not in the following order:

1. We evaluate the colors of the inflorescence. If the inside is yellow and the outer part is white, it could be a daisy, and we move on. If the color combination is different, it is not chamomile;
2. We evaluate the presence of marginal flowers. If they are not there, it is not chamomile. If they exist, we move on;
3. We estimate the sizes. If the inflorescence is larger than 2.5 cm in diameter (more than half a matchstick), it is not a chamomile. If it’s less, we move on;
4. We look at the middle of the inflorescence. If it is flat, it is not a pharmaceutical chamomile. If it is convex, we move on;
5. We evaluate the type of leaves. If they are thick, wide, dense, especially if they are not dissected, this is not a pharmaceutical chamomile. If they are narrow, thin, small, we move on;
6. We smell the plant. If the smell is unpleasant, pungent, or absent at all, we conclude that it is not pharmaceutical chamomile. If the smell is spicy, tart, and pronounced, there is a high probability that you have chamomile in your hands.

Finally, to be completely sure, we cut with a blade or simply cut the receptacle with a fingernail. If it is solid inside, it is not a pharmaceutical chamomile.

There is no cavity, the entire base of the receptacle is filled with tissue - this is not a pharmaceutical chamomile.

chamomile, maiden flower, romanov color, romanova grass, roman, romannik

Annual herbaceous plant, which contains useful biologically active substances and has antispasmodic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, carminative effects.

Name in Latin: Matricaria chamomilla

Title in English: Camomile pharmaceutical

Family: Asteraceae

The healing properties of chamomile were known to the doctors of Ancient Greece and Rome. In the Middle Ages, this remedy was a panacea for many diseases and is described in most medieval herbal books. But by the 18th century, the glory of this healing flower gradually began to fade, and in the 19th century, the herb was used to a greater extent in cosmetology. Interest in the plant returned in the twentieth century, when laboratory studies of the chemical composition became available and the medicinal properties of chamomile were scientifically proven. Discovered biologically active substances and essential oils contained in chamomile “rehabilitated” the flower and placed it in a place of honor among medicinal plants.

Features of chamomile

Pharmaceutical camomile. Botanical illustration from the book by A. Mascle,
Atlas des plantes de France, 1891.

The medicinal plant chamomile has been well studied in botany, pharmacology and folk medicine. Chamomile is trusted by everyone: both doctors of traditional medicine and traditional healers, and the patients themselves. Due to its rich chemical composition, this plant is sometimes credited with miraculous powers. Is it really? What are the medicinal properties of chamomile? How to properly prepare raw materials and distinguish between the types of this plant?

Area

Chamomile can be found throughout the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It does not grow only in tropical zones. In Europe, the flower takes root well both in the northern Scandinavian countries and in the Mediterranean. In Russia it grows not only in the European part, but also in the Urals, Far East, Altai, Tien Shan, and Transbaikalia. Chamomile is the most common medicinal raw material of all other medicinal plants. It is cultivated in 26 countries around the world industrially. The world's most famous producers of chamomile are Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.

Botanical description

Chamomile officinalis, or chamomile, is an annual herbaceous plant with a taproot, slightly branched root. The stem is thin, hollow, sinuous, and can be from 15 to 60 cm high, depending on conditions. The leaves are divided into narrow linear lobules, sessile, alternate. The inflorescences are collected in conical baskets and placed on the tops of the stems. The marginal flowers are small, numerous, white, reed-shaped, they frame the basket with a white corolla. The inner flowers are yellow and tubular. Chamomile is characterized by a conical, strongly convex, hollow receptacle, which distinguishes the flower from other species. Chamomile is a light-loving plant. In the early morning its petals are usually bent down, and by lunchtime they gradually rise and take a horizontal position. In the evening, the petals are pressed against the stem again.

Yellow-colored navel

Types of chamomile

Today there are 25 types of chamomile. The most famous of them is chamomile. It is widely used as medicine. What other types of this plant can be used in folk medicine?

• Roman chamomile. Popularly, this flower is also called the noble navel, button flower, and chamomile. Like chamomile, it belongs to medicinal types, has the same healing properties, used in cosmetology and pharmaceuticals. Is different strong odor, divorced as ornamental plant. It blooms later - from July to September.
• Yellow chamomile. This is the popular name for Anthemis tinctalis, or yellow-flowered navel. Loves dry meadows and fields. Previously, in Rus' it was used to dye fabrics bright yellow. Widely used in gardening because of their beautiful, bright inflorescences and aroma, frost resistance. It is used less frequently in folk medicine. Yellow chamomile is known as a hemostatic, diaphoretic, and choleretic agent. The plant can also be used as an insecticidal agent in the fight against insects.
• Field chamomile. There is no clear description of this species. It can be cornflower, fragrant chamomile (without tongue), and non-odorous, and Roman, and chamomile, which grow in the field.
• Meadow chamomile. The plant is also found in fields and likes to grow along roads. Meadow chamomile is also called cornflower. The flower is easy to distinguish from the chamomile: the flower is larger, it has one flower basket and one stem, dense leaves with jagged edges. Nivyanik has healing properties, but it is not used as a medicinal raw material as widely as chamomile.

Procurement of raw materials

It is important to correctly distinguish between the types of this medicinal plant and to collect chamomile.

• Collection of chamomile. The tubular flowers should open halfway and the white corolla should be in a horizontal position, then picking can begin. Experienced herbalists call best time for collection - the fifth day after the flower blooms. It is during this period that the inflorescence contains the maximum amount of useful substances. The plant is harvested in dry, clear weather. As a rule, the inflorescences are picked by hand and placed in a linen bag. You can also collect young shoots with leaves, which are then used to prepare chamomile baths. For industrial collection, special rakes or machines are used.
• Drying and storage. When using specialized dryers, the temperature should not exceed 40°C. The beneficial properties of chamomile are lost when high temperature and under the influence of sunlight. At home, the grass is dried in dark, ventilated rooms, the raw materials are laid out in a thin layer, and the grass is turned over from time to time. Store dried raw materials in glass containers, wooden boxes, tightly sealed and in a dark place.

Some herbalists indicate a shelf life of 1 year, others - 2 years. Experienced healers recommend, if possible, updating supplies of raw materials annually.

What's included

What are the healing properties of chamomile? Chamomile has a lot useful species acids: caprylic, ascorbic, nicotinic, salicylic, anthemisic, linoleic, stearic, palmitic, isovaleric and others. It contains flavonoids, bitterness, sugars, proteins, mucus, gum, carotene, vitamin C, essential oils, coumarins, and glycosides. Apiin is considered especially valuable - a type of glycoside that relaxes smooth muscles and has an antispasmodic, choleretic effect. The biologically active substance chamazulene, which is part of essential oils, is also considered valuable. Without exception, all components of the herb are important; it is their combination and quantity that gives the healing effect.

Healing effect

What are the benefits of chamomile? What is the pharmacological action and scope of its application in folk and traditional medicine?

Beneficial properties of chamomile root

Well known to everyone medicinal properties inflorescences of this plant, but chamomile root is also useful. It contains biologically active substances in high concentration. The root has the following medicinal effects:

• hemostatic;
• regenerating;
• anti-inflammatory;
• painkiller;
• tonic;
• antispasmodic.

Chamomile root powder is used for treatment. Most often they treat diseases of the genitourinary system, digestive organs, mastitis, allergic rashes, and nervous disorders.

What are the contraindications for chamomile? Herbal decoctions should be used with caution for anacid gastritis with low acidity, chronic diarrhea, mental disorders, and hypersensitivity to the drug. The medicinal plant is not toxic, but with prolonged use or overdose, such symptoms may occur. side effects: dizziness, cough, nervous disorders, headache, hoarseness, menstrual irregularities, conjunctivitis.

Use in folk medicine

There are many options for preparing healing potions from chamomile: teas, decoctions, different types of tinctures, essential oil.

Chamomile tea

What are the benefits of chamomile tea? First of all, it is taken for gastritis, especially in the chronic form, with high acidity. In this case, chamomile tea is drunk over a long course of up to 10 days.

Preparation

1. Take 1 teaspoon of chamomile herb.
2. Pour a glass of boiling water.
3. Leave for 20 minutes.
4. Strain.

Drink tea warm, 1/3 glass three times a day before meals.

• What other benefits of chamomile tea?
• Strengthens the immune system and is used as a prophylaxis against acute respiratory viral infections and influenza.
• Reduces gas formation, relieves spasms in the intestines and stomach.
• Relieves inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tract, makes breathing easier.
• Relaxes the nervous system.
• Helps with inflammation of the kidneys and bladder.

Chamomile tea can also be prepared as part of stomach, chest, and sedative mixtures. For example, for psychoneurological causes of gastric diseases, chamomile with lemon balm is recommended; for diseases of the gallbladder, this herb is prepared with peppermint, and for nervous excitement, it is mixed with valerian.

Decoction

Chamomile decoction is most often used externally. This is an indispensable natural antiseptic, which is used to treat the skin, wash the nose and throat, and it is useful to take it for coughs during acute respiratory viral infections and flu as part of chest preparations. But you can also drink the decoction for gastrointestinal diseases.

Preparation

1. Place 1 tbsp in an enamel bowl. a spoonful of chamomile.
2. Pour 1 cup boiling water.
3. Keep covered in a steam bath for 15 minutes.
4. Cool and strain.

The finished broth should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day.

Infusion

Chamomile infusion can be prepared different ways depending on application. It can be water-based or alcohol-based. It is important to remember that the concentration of the infusion for internal use should be lower than for external use.

Hot cooking

1. Take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chamomile.
2. Pour a glass of boiling water.
3. Leave for 2 hours.
4. Strain.

The infusion is taken orally, ¼ cup three times a day.

Preparation of infusion for cosmetic purposes

1. Take 4 tbsp. spoons of chamomile.
2. Pour a glass of boiling water.
3. Keep in a steam bath for 10 minutes.
4. Leave for 1 hour.

Use when cooled.

Cold cooking

1. Take 5 tbsp. spoons of chamomile.
2. Pour in 0.5 liters of cold water.
3. Leave for 8 hours.
4. Strain and store the infusion in the refrigerator.

The resulting portion of the infusion should be divided into equal doses and taken for 2 days. How to drink chamomile? Some herbalists recommend making only cold infusions of the herb for oral use, as it will retain the essential oils. And for external use, it is better to prepare infusions using a hot method.

Preparation of alcohol tincture

1. Take 1 tbsp. spoon of chamomile and add 10 tbsp. spoons of vodka.
2. Leave for a week in a dark place.
3. Strain.

Accept alcohol tincture 20 drops after meals, with plenty of water.

Essential oil

Essential oil is often used externally for skin diseases, as well as in cosmetology, for the production of hypoallergenic and antiseptic skin care products. But the drug is also effective for aching pain, spasms of the stomach and intestines, menopausal syndrome, menstrual irregularities, irritability and insomnia. It is taken in strict doses, 15 drops three times a day, preferably before meals. You can add oil to tea, dilute it in a spoon of honey.

Preparation

1. Take 2 tbsp. spoons of chamomile.
2. Pour in ¼ cup vegetable oil.
3. Leave for 2 days in a dark and cool place.

Chamomile essential oil can be purchased at a pharmacy. It is made from different types plants, the price of the drug depends on this. The medicine is widely used in aromatherapy; there are many positive reviews about the treatment of neuroses with this oil. It is important to remember: chamomile essential oil is prohibited for children and pregnant women.

Read more about the external use of chamomile

All chamomile solutions for external use are more concentrated. However, you need to remember that the delicate mucous membrane may react to a strong decoction or essential oil, then they must be used diluted.

• In cosmetology. Chamomile extract is often added to creams, shampoos, soaps, gels, and lotions. Natural herbs in cosmetics are an expensive component, which is why they are so often replaced with synthetic substances. For hair, you can make natural chamomile masks, rinse your hair with herbal decoctions after washing. To cleanse facial skin with acne and pimples, you can make natural alcohol-free lotions and masks.
• Chamomile sitz baths. These procedures are prescribed for inflammation in the anal and genital area. To prepare a bath you need 1 liter of strong hot broth and a comfortable place to sit. It is best to use a bucket into which the broth is poured. Steam baths are most effective for cystitis.
• Oral disinfection. In addition to otolaryngology, chamomile is often prescribed in dentistry. The herb is effective for stomatitis, useful for gums with periodontal disease.
• Inhalations. You can breathe over chamomile decoction during ARVI, flu, respiratory symptoms, if there is no fever and no tendency to laryngospasms (especially in children). Steam inhalations soften breathing, relieve coughing, help remove sputum, and disinfect the upper and lower respiratory tract.
• Eye wash. There is no clear opinion on this issue. Some herbalists recommend washing your eyes with chamomile solution for inflammation, while others do not advise doing this and talk about the risk of developing conjunctivitis. In any case, the solution when washing the eyes should be in a weak dilution.
• Microclysters. Instructions for using chamomile include the following information: for microenemas, use 50 ml of warm solution, the procedure is carried out no more than 2 times a day. Only a doctor can prescribe chamomile microenemas to adults and children for intestinal colic, bloating, rectal fissures, hemorrhoids and other diseases. Long-term use can lead to disruption of intestinal microflora.
• Douching. Chamomile infusions are often used as an adjuvant for the treatment of inflammation in gynecology. This procedure can be performed during an exacerbation period for no more than 5–7 days. As a daily hygiene item, it is strictly prohibited. The herb dries out the mucous membrane, leads to disruption of the vaginal microflora, and can cause itching and burning. Douching is also contraindicated in the first trimester of pregnancy, during menstruation, within a month after childbirth, and during menopause.
• Chamomile baths. Chamomile is a powerful natural antiseptic. It is used for skin problems, like other popular herbs - string, calendula, celandine. Also, the vapors of this plant before bedtime calm and relax the nervous system. When taking baths, add 1 liter of steep chamomile infusion to the water.

Features of use in men, women and children

Chamomile tincture is effective for diseases of the genitourinary system in men and women. It is actively used in children, starting from the first days of life.

For men

There is widespread misinformation that chamomile cures impotence. But for prostatitis, this medicine really gives healing effect. Usually a herbal mixture is prepared that helps relieve inflammation and pain due to prostatitis. Warm chamomile baths will be helpful. The decoction can also be taken orally.

Preparation

1. Mix 1 teaspoon each of chamomile, St. John's wort and linden herbs.
2. Pour 1 cup boiling water.
3. Leave for 1 hour.
4. Strain.

Drink the herbal mixture twice a day, ½ cup. Take the decoction for a long course - at least 3 weeks.

For women

For what diagnoses in women is chamomile prescribed?

• Treatment of thrush. Local therapy is prescribed in the form of baths, douching and tampons. Herbal treatment relieves itching, burning in the vagina, and reduces heavy discharge. You can get rid of thrush with local treatment with antiseptic chamomile solutions with the addition of soda only at the initial stage of the disease. With heavy discharge and severe itching You can’t do without antifungal drugs.
• Menopausal syndrome. During menopause, chamomile essential oil is prescribed, which relieves irritability, nervousness, feelings of panic and anxiety during this difficult period for a woman.
• Painful periods. Chamomile decoction smoothes smooth muscles, relieves spasms, and eliminates bloating during menstruation.
• Cervical erosion. This is the most common and controversial diagnosis for women. There are many approaches to treating it, including the principle of not touching the erosion at all. Chamomile douches and tampons help relieve inflammation in the vagina, which can cause erosion. But identifying the cause of the disease is sometimes very difficult. Complex, advanced forms of erosion, of course, cannot be treated with grass.

During pregnancy, chamomile decoctions and infusions are used orally only as prescribed by a doctor, since the herb has abortifacient properties and can cause a miscarriage. early stages. You should not get carried away with douching during pregnancy, so as not to “plant” the vaginal microflora, which is already vulnerable during this period. But you can safely use decoctions externally as an antiseptic for ARVI, sinusitis, diseases of the throat and gums. Read more about it in our other article.

For children

Before using chamomile infusions in children, especially infants, you should consult a pediatrician. Children have cases of individual intolerance to this herb.

Chamomile flowers are widely used for inflammation of the digestive organs - gastritis, colitis, enterocolitis, liver and pancreas diseases, stomach and duodenal ulcers, flatulence. The herb is also effective for diseases of the ENT organs, respiratory and urinary tracts, neuroses, and skin inflammations of various natures.

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We probably don’t have a family where they don’t know about chamomile. Many people use it for health and beauty. In our family, chamomile is the number one remedy for almost all diseases. For the stomach, throat, colds, beauty, and much more - everything is simple and effective. I propose today to talk about the benefits of pharmaceutical chamomile, how to brew it correctly, conduct a course of treatment with chamomile, and how to use it.

Chamomile is always so marketable. It is no coincidence that we use daisies to tell fortunes. Whether she will tell the truth or not is difficult to say. Probably, chamomile and our birch have become a symbol of Russian nature. A popular belief says that where a star falls, a daisy will bloom.

Interestingly, the name chamomile itself comes from the Latin “romana”, which means Roman. And then the diminutive form was formed. There are many types of daisies. Today we will talk about chamomile. Its flowers are slightly smaller and its petals are not so large, but it is very useful for both health and beauty.

The Legend of the Chamomile

A long time ago there lived a Girl. Her name has already been forgotten. She was wonderful. And she had a loved one - Roman. They loved each other very much, their feelings were so sublime and warm that it seemed to them that they were not mere mortals. The lovers spent every day together.

One day he brought his beloved a flower - something like this had never been seen before. The girl admired this flower for a very long time. It was modest - white elongated petals settled around the sunny center, but such love and tenderness emanated from the flower that the girl really liked it.

She thanked Roman and asked where he got such a miracle? He said that he dreamed about this flower and when he woke up, he saw this flower on his pillow. The girl suggested calling this flower Chamomile, after Roman’s affectionate name, and the young man agreed. The girl said: “And why will only you and I have such a flower?

Let you collect a whole bouquet of these flowers in that unknown country, and we will give these flowers to all our beloved!” Roman understood that it was impossible to get flowers from a dream, but he could not refuse his beloved. He set off. He looked for these flowers for a long time. I found the Kingdom of Dreams at the end of the world.

The King of Dreams offered him an exchange - Roman remains forever in his kingdom, and the King gives his Girl a field of flowers. And the young man agreed, for the sake of his beloved he was ready to do anything! The girl had been waiting for Roman for a long time. I waited a year, two, but he still didn’t come.

She cried, was sad, lamented that she had wished for something impossible. But one day she woke up, looked out the window and saw an endless field of chamomile. Then the Girl realized that her Romashek was alive, but he was far away and would not be seen again! The girl gave people Chamomile flowers. People fell in love with these flowers for their simple beauty and tenderness, and lovers began to tell fortunes about them. And now we often see how they tear off one petal at a time from a chamomile and say: “Loves it or doesn’t love it?”

This is the legend about chamomile. Sad, but very touching. I hope chamomile will bring us only positive emotions. After this legend, let's return with material about the beneficial properties of chamomile, how to choose it, dry it, apply it, and how to carry out a course of treatment with chamomile.

Pharmaceutical camomile. Flowers. Collection. Photo

When to collect chamomile? Its harvest is June-August. Chamomile should be picked with a small amount of stem (about 3 cm). Collect flower baskets in sunny weather, never collect chamomile flowers after rain, they will not dry well, will darken when dried, and will be very difficult to store. Don't collect it in the city. Lots of dust and dirt. Dry chamomile in dryers or in the shade on a towel. It is imperative to ensure that it does not cake. If you cannot collect medicinal chamomile yourself, then buy it at the pharmacy and use it for health.

How to distinguish chamomile from other types of chamomile?

To identify medicinal chamomile, it must be cut crosswise. If it is hollow inside, then it needs to be dried. Also pay attention to the smell. It is very bright: apple-honey.

Pharmaceutical camomile. Useful properties and contraindications.

• Chamomile contains organic acids: salicylic, apple, valerian, nicotine.
• Chamomile contains trace elements such as copper, zinc and selenium.
• An excellent antiseptic. Has antimicrobial properties.
• It is an excellent pain reliever. Moreover, it is excellent to use chamomile for various pains: for headaches, as a remedy for bloating, pain in the stomach, limbs and others.
• Relieves inflammation.
• Has a sedative effect. And all thanks to the combination of zinc and valeric acid.
• Chamomile has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
• Has antiallergic properties.
• Has a beneficial effect on the entire gastrointestinal tract.
• It has antiviral activity, so it can be successfully used for influenza.
• An excellent antipyretic.
• Chamomile has antirheumatic properties.
• Strengthens the secretion of bile.
• An excellent anthelmintic. Kills lamblia, oscorides and pinworms.
• Chamomile is considered a “female herb”, therefore it is very widely used in gynecology.
• Widely used in cosmetology. It relieves irritation and inflammation, and it is no coincidence that it is included in many creams and masks for the care of hypersensitive facial skin. Also takes good care of hair health.

These are such wonderful beneficial properties... But despite this, you need to be careful about your health and know that in addition to the beneficial properties, there are also contraindications.

Pharmaceutical camomile. Contraindications

Pregnant women should use chamomile very carefully. Individual intolerance. Allergic reaction to pollen.

Chamomile photo

Chamomile pharmacy price

You can buy it at a pharmacy. It is sold either in filter bags, which is very convenient for brewing, or in bulk. The price depends on the manufacturer. We have approximate prices in the pharmacy for a package 45-60 rubles. Look carefully at the instructions for brewing chamomile herb on the package.

Chamomile for internal and external use

For what diseases should medicinal chamomile be used?

Chamomile is good to use for cystitis with pain and pain. It is also good to use for some lung diseases, especially if accompanied by a cough. Also used as a rinse for sore throats and any inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity. For any pain, drink chamomile instead of analgesics. Relieves pain very well.

It is especially good to use chamomile for stomach pain, gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers. It is also good to use for jaundice, pancreatitis, diseases of the biliary system, cholecystitis, colitis.

It is good to use chamomile externally and internally for pustular skin lesions, for sweaty feet, and in cosmetology.

Chamomile for children

Use of chamomile for children. Chamomile treatment

Chamomile is great for children who are teething. The child calms down, sleeps at night, teeth erupt less painfully. To prepare such a decoction for a child, you need to pour 1 tsp. chamomile 1 liter of water. Give the child 1 tsp. chamomile decoction.

It is good to give chamomile to capricious children. It has a very beneficial effect on the nervous system.

It is excellent to use chamomile for diathesis and eczema in children. This decoction is used externally. Children are bathed in the broth. 2-3 tablespoons per 1 liter of water. ABOUT the right way brewing instructions can be read below.

For pinworms, it is good to make an infusion of chamomile. This infusion is used in the form of microenemas. 2-3 tbsp. Chamomile for 1 liter of water.

If children have festering eyes, there is nothing better and simpler than chamomile. Just wash your eyes with chamomile infusion. You can alternate washing your eyes with brewed tea. Also, some recipes for using chamomile for children can be found below.

The use of pharmaceutical chamomile in various situations. Chamomile treatment.

Chamomile is very good to use when a person changes something in his life: he leaves somewhere, moves, changes the climate, when he finds himself in some situations that are somewhat unusual for him. To find harmony and prevent nervous breakdowns, chamomile is very good.

Chamomile treatment for colds. How to brew chamomile

Universal recipe: pour 1 tablespoon of chamomile (can be fresh or dry) with a glass of boiling water. Cover. Let it sit until the chamomile infusion has cooled. Strain. Take a third of a glass warm 3 times a day half an hour before meals or an hour after meals.

This recipe is universal. It is also used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: for gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, for colitis, pain of various types, including painful women's days, as a choleretic recipe.

If you do not have allergies, it is good to drink this chamomile tea with honey. By the way, the French really like to drink chamomile tea with cream instead of regular tea.

Chamomile tea

20 grams of chamomile per 1 liter of water. Pour boiling water over it, wrap it up. Leave for half an hour. Strain. It is very good to drink this tea in the evening. Especially if you abused coffee during the day.

Gargling with chamomile

Chamomile is an excellent antiseptic. It helps well with sore throats, sore throats, and pharyngitis.

Brew a tablespoon of chamomile in a glass of boiling water. Leave, wrapped, for half an hour. Strain. Gargle several times a day.

It is very good to add linden or sage to chamomile for gargling. Here are 2 more recipes for gargling.

1. Prepare a mixture of chamomile and linden in a ratio of 3 parts chamomile to 2 parts linden. Pour 1 tablespoon of this mixture into a glass of boiling water. Leave, wrapped, for half an hour. Strain. Gargle several times a day.
2. Prepare a mixture of chamomile and sage in a ratio of 2 parts chamomile to 1 part sage. Pour 1 tablespoon of this mixture into a glass of boiling water. Leave, wrapped, for half an hour. Strain. Gargle several times a day.

For stomach pain You can add mint and pomegranate peel to the chamomile. Here is the prescription:

Take 1 tablespoon each of chamomile and mint and half a tablespoon of pomegranate peel. It can be taken fresh or dried. Pour a liter of boiling water over everything. Leave for 2 hours, closing the decoction. Strain everything. Drink a quarter glass 30 4 times a day half an hour before meals.

Chamomile treatment for rheumatism . As an aid.

It is good to use chamomile compresses and apply them to sore spots. For the compress you need to prepare an infusion. Brew 2 tablespoons with a glass of boiling water. Leave, wrapped, for about 2 hours. Strain. Soak gauze or cotton cloth in chamomile infusion. Apply a compress to the sore areas for about half an hour. You can wrap everything in film and roll it away.

In addition to this, it’s great to take a course of baths with chamomile. The course of treatment is recommended to be 10 procedures. Water temperature 36 degrees. Take baths for 10 minutes daily. To do this, you need to pour 6-8 tablespoons of chamomile into a liter of boiling water, leave, wrapping everything up for about an hour. Strain. Add to bath.

Chamomile oil. Application

It is very good to use chamomile oil in the following way: instill chamomile oil for a runny nose with pus, sinusitis, and sinusitis. It is best to first rinse your nose with a decoction: 30 grams of chamomile per glass of boiling water. And then drop 1-2 drops of chamomile oil into each nostril.

You can prepare chamomile oil yourself:

Place dried chamomile flowers into a 1 liter jar. Approximately 4/5 of the jar's volume. Fill everything vegetable oil. The oil should be 1 cm higher than the level of the raw material. Close everything and put it in a warm place for 10 days. Filter. Store in the refrigerator for up to a year. Before use, it must be diluted with regular vegetable oil in a ratio of 1:10.

You can buy this oil ready-made at the pharmacy.

The use of chamomile oil in inhalations

It is good to do inhalations with this oil. Just pour it into a saucer hot water, drop 3 drops of chamomile oil there, breathe, cover yourself. It is better to breathe alternately through your nose and mouth. It’s great to do this procedure with children. It is best to do everything in a course of about 5-7 days for 5 minutes.

The use of chamomile oil in aromatherapy.

It is very convenient to use aroma lamps for these purposes. Everything is the same as with a saucer, only much more convenient.

It's great to put such an aroma lamp in the room where you sleep. Breathe before bed. Let the room be filled with such a pleasant aroma. The sleep will be much deeper. Anxiety goes away. Also use this recipe if someone in your home gets sick due to household air disinfection. Place this aroma lamp when you are watching TV, knitting, or just doing household chores.

Nowadays they also sell medallions, where you can drop oil and walk around with them. Convenient and efficient. For any pain, nervousness, irritation, anxiety, vegetative-vascular dystonia, drop 2 drops of oil into the pendant and walk with it.

There is good information about the beneficial properties of chamomile, its treatment and use. video material. Anyone who has any questions, I invite you to take a look.

The use of chamomile in cosmetology. Recipes

I have a very detailed article on my blog about how to use chamomile for cosmetic purposes. I invite you to read the recipes. You can go to the article here.

Dear readers, before moving on to the heartfelt gift, I want to ask you a request . Perhaps you have already noticed that I have opened a new section Recipes from readers . I would like to post your recipes for health and beauty here. Surely, each of us has a lot of them. If the recipes are short, that's okay. I will then collect them and publish several at once.

I don't want to make this a competition. Let's just share with each other. You can also tell your story of recovery or how you dealt with some health problem.

Don’t forget that the recipes will be for both health and beauty. Still, it is important for us to look good. I will be waiting for your recipes. Send everything by email. All information is on the page about me or in the section itself. The most interesting recipes I promise to definitely mention it. Let this be a surprise for you.

It grows everywhere. It has also been used by people everywhere since time immemorial. They use it to tell fortunes, they make wreaths from it, they watch it to determine the weather, they collect it in bouquets, they tell fairy tales about it, they brew magic elixirs of youth from it, and, of course, they use it to treat people.

For the first time, by itself medicinal plant chamomile and its use was described, or “documented”, which in this case is more accurate, by the Greek scientist and physician Pliny the Elder in his encyclopedic work “Natural History”, the name applied to the flower in the ancient Mediterranean is translated into modern Russian, like "earth apple".

The name currently accepted among botanists, Matricaria, was introduced by Albrecht von Haller, a naturalist, physician, scientist and poet who worked for Switzerland in the 18th century. The choice of the term was determined by the fact that at that time we were familiar medicinal chamomile used mainly in gynecology.

It was described in great detail for the first time in the “Botanical Dictionary” by Nikolai Ivanovich Annenkov in the 19th century, but the name “daisy” was “documentedly voiced” a hundred years before Annenkov’s work, Andrei Timofeevich Bolotov in the collection folk recipes and, in fact, a work of art – “The Villager”.

The word “chamomile” is a diminutive derivative of Roman, but why this particular name has stuck is a subject of debate among philologists and morphologists.

Description and properties medicinal chamomile

On photo chamomile It looks like a very modest and inconspicuous plant. It is a herbaceous, annual plant with taproots that have little branching and a sharp, pleasant, very recognizable odor. Height from 10 to 65 cm, stems straight, branched, covered with a fan of openwork leaves.

Distinguish type of chamomile It is distinguished from other daisies by its feature - a bare conical receptacle that is hollow inside. Lifespan, it's life cycle– this is 3-4 months. Growth is very fast, flowers begin to grow immediately after the onset of warm weather.

IN middle lane flowering and seed formation occurs in June, by mid-July the seeds ripen, and at the same time, chamomile can be collected for use in medical purposes. Among the useful properties chamomile officinalis collections highlight:

astringent;

anti-inflammatory;

antimicrobial;

painkiller;

antimicrobial;

disinfectant;

healing;

antiseptic;

anti-allergenic;

calming.

Is not full list the healing effects on human health of this small, unsightly plant that grows literally underfoot everywhere.

Uses of medicinal chamomile

People are accustomed in many cases not to turn to pills, but to use the help that is provided medicinal herbs , chamomile is also indispensable for:

The range of applications is much wider, but these are the main difficulties that can be solved with the help of chamomile. Such a wide range of problems in human health is due to the substances contained in:

anthemisic acid;

caprylic acid;

salicylic acid;

flavonoids;

tannins;

polysaccharides;

phytosterols;

alkaloids;

ether compound of chamazulene.

As for its effectiveness, any gastroenterologist will confirm that regular use of chamomile teas and infusions can cure almost any disease of the intestines and stomach. The plant is used both internally and externally, usually:

decoctions;

infusions;

teas;

compresses;

rinsing;

washing;

inhalation;

baths.

When drinking chamomile tea as a simple drink, without specific medicinal purposes, you can add anything you like to it. The taste of tea is in perfect harmony with sugar, honey, cream, milk, jams and is much more beneficial than simple, familiar tea, to which, by the way, you can also add chamomile when brewing.

As for contraindications, they are insignificant and we are talking more about the concentration of infusions and decoctions, and not about a ban on use in general. Chamomile should be used internally with caution in people with:

increased acidity;

individual negative perception or intolerance;

stones in the kidneys and bile ducts;

pregnancy, we are talking about a strong concentration of plant raw materials, with weak brewing, chamomile tea, on the contrary, is recommended.

Planting and propagation of medicinal chamomile

Chamomile can be grown both from and from seeds. For seedlings chamomile seeds sow in March in a sandy mixture, which is always kept moist. IN open ground transplanted at the age of 4 to 6 weeks, but no later than the beginning of June.

The ideal location would be a sunny area with limestone and peaty soils and shallow groundwater. The holes for the bushes should not be deep, no more than 20 cm. The planted ones should be pressed tightly and watered well, but carefully. The distance between the holes should be from 10 to 15 cm.

You can sow seeds right away; they have excellent germination, and the first chamomile leaves When seedlings emerge, they are quite resistant to the sun, wind and rain, so no effort is required to care for the plant planted with seeds.

Sowing of seeds is carried out at the end of April at the beginning of May, the depth of the rut should not be more than a centimeter, but the distance between the rows should be 30-40 cm.

It loves humidity very much, so it needs to be maintained without allowing water to stagnate. Seeds germinate in two weeks; germination can be accelerated by covering the sowing site with polyethylene. Propagated by seeds, which ripen in late July, early August.

In addition to planting medicinal chamomile on the site, you can always grow chamomile at home, as a simple indoor one. This doesn't require any special effort.

It is most convenient to sow chamomile seeds in long boxes, in a maximum of two rows, so that all the chamomiles have enough light. Usually, seeds are sown in one row in a box 15-20 cm wide.

The only requirements when growing on a windowsill are lighting and humidity. In winter there is not enough light, so additional lighting will be required. The moisture content of the soil also needs to be monitored, preventing the formation of moisture stagnation and acidification of the soil.

Collection and drying of medicinal chamomile

Gather chamomile flowers start from the time " early flowering", that is, from about mid-June. At this time, the flowers and inflorescences themselves are collected. This process continues for about a month, until the seeds begin to form.

However, you shouldn’t get too carried away and collect everything. If you plan to leave a plot of chamomile in the garden, then you do not need to touch several plants, allowing the seeds to ripen on them and then self-seeding, or collecting them and planting them yourself.

Collected inflorescences cannot be kept in a “heap” in a basket or bag for more than 3-3.5 hours. This approach will lead to the loss of most of its healing qualities.

Medicinal chamomile raw materials are dried either in a ventilated place, protected from insects and moisture, or in special dryers. When drying in dryers or ovens, temperature regime should not exceed 40-45 degrees. Overdried chamomile loses all its properties, becoming just a pleasant-smelling dry herb.

Properly dried chamomile has a bright, pungent odor, is hard to the touch and not brittle. Also, in the case of drying naturally, for example, in the attic of a country house, it is important to mix the layer of plants, avoiding the occurrence of staleness and diaper rash of individual flowers.

The collection should be stored in wooden, fabric or cardboard containers, or in a dry, tightly closed glass. But storage is preferable in materials that allow air to pass through.

The stems of the plant are rarely collected, but its leaves can be collected throughout the season, from the beginning of June to the end of August. However, it is better to do this after the seeds have ripened.

If it is more convenient to collect leaves throughout the summer, it is important not to expose the plant completely, taking from each bush no more than a quarter of its openwork green cover.

Although, buy medicinal chamomile in view of the ready-made collection, it is possible in every pharmacy, grown with your own hands in own garden, raw materials are always better.

Firstly, it is known where and under what conditions the plants grew, which is very important, because they may well be brought to the collection point for plant raw materials, collected within the city and having absorbed all the smog and soot from the polluted air of megacities.

Secondly, you can definitely be sure that the plant is dried correctly and not overdried.

Thirdly, the timing of collecting flowers and their quality are precisely known, because no one will collect undeveloped or weak, unhealthy ones into their own tea.

Therefore, there are many advantages in growing chamomile yourself, but there are no disadvantages or inconveniences at all. Chamomile officinalis– a plant that helps people not only in matters of health, but is also actively used in cosmetology and aromatherapy.

As for the latter, the range of uses for chamomile essential oil is very wide, although it is not as popular as oils from conifers or citrus fruits.

If you have a strong desire, you can obtain such oil yourself; for this you will need a distillation apparatus, basic knowledge of the basics of chemistry and, of course, a bed of chamomile.

Chamomile, with all its simplicity and modesty, is a symbol of tenderness and beauty, and in terms of healing properties it is not inferior to many medicinal plants. In this article we will talk about some varieties of garden and medicinal chamomiles and their benefits for humans.

Chamomile: description of the genus

Latin name this flower is Matricária (uterine grass). It is explained by the fact that chamomile is traditionally used in the treatment of diseases of the female genital area. This flower belongs to the genus flowering perennials the Astrov family. Chamomiles are eukaryotes (organisms whose cells contain a nucleus) of the flowering division, the class of dicotyledons. Their corymbose inflorescences have a hemispherical basket shape, in which there are two types of flowers: in the middle there are tubular yellow bisexual ones, and in a circle there are false-ligulate white ones. The receptacle is conical and hollow.
The leaves of the plants are pinnately dissected, divided into many thin lobes. The fruits are achenes with several thin ribs and a small tuft. The flowers exude a subtle, characteristic honey-apple aroma. The plant begins to bloom as early as March-April in cool regions, and even in February in southern regions. Due to this spread, the beginnings of flowering are different. flowering species They occur all summer and bloom until November. Wasps are more involved in pollinating flower stalks than bees. The most famous of the chamomiles is the chamomile; it is widely used in the medical and cosmetology industries.

Did you know? Remains of pottery dating back to the 2nd millennium BC have been found in Egypt. BC, decorated with drawings of daisies, and during excavations on the island of Crete, archaeologists discovered women's hairpins made of gold inlaid with these flowers.

Asteraceae also include 25 species of other low-growing fragrant herbs, also called chamomile, among which there are both medicinal and ornamental. Garden species were bred from wild plants, such as common cornflower, pyrethrum, doronicum, and anthemis. These species will be discussed a little below, but now we will list some medicinal and decorative varieties. Garden daisies:

• "Crazy Daisy";
• "Aglaya";
• Viral Supreme;
• "Maxima Koenig";
• "Alaska";
• "May Queen";
• "Beethoven";
• "Carlos"
• "Paradise";
• Doronicum Caucasianus.

Medicinal varieties:

• pharmacy;
• odorous, tongueless;
• noble or Roman navel;
• Persian;
• pink;
• Dalmatian

Healing chamomiles and their benefits

The medicinal species of these flowers are endowed with unique healing properties, which people have long learned to use in healing. Traditional medicine widely uses this plant in pharmacology, making various preparations based on it. Let us dwell in more detail on the two most commonly used medicinal purposes. This is a pharmaceutical chamomile and odorous without tongue.

Pharmacy (medicinal)

This plant is not called a pharmaceutical plant for nothing: its healing qualities are due to a huge number of microelements, vitamins and many other substances that effectively fight a large number of diseases. Only inflorescences are used as medicinal raw materials.

Did you know? In Central Africa, several types of chamomile were completely destroyed by local tribes due to superstitions that these plants supposedly attract evil spirits.

Description and distribution

Chamomile (M. recutita) is a herbaceous annual with an erect branched stem up to 25 centimeters in height, with bright green double-pinnate leaves. Like all daisies, the flowers of the daisy are in the form of baskets, consisting of yellow tubular small flowers, framed along the edge by white reed flowers.

In Russia it grows throughout the entire territory, spreading to the East Siberian region, and is found even in the Far East. It grows in meadows, steppes, loves heathlands, roadsides, and can be found among grain crops and in the inter-rows of row crops.

Composition and benefits

Compound medicinal plant rich in many active elements.
Chemical substances:

• ascorbic acid;
• choline;
• carotene;
• essential oil contained in flowers.

Active biological compounds:

• phytosterols;
• flavonoids;
• coumarins;
• chamazulene;
• matrixin;
• gum;
• mucus;
• bitterness;
• quercetin;
• apigenin;
• isorhamnetin;
• luteolin;
• kaempferol;
• organic acids: isovaleric, caprylic, phenolcarboxylic, salicylic.

And also many other substances. Taking medications from chamomile helps to:

• improving appetite;
• strengthening the immune system;
• destruction of pathogenic microbes.

Rich medicinal composition qualifies it as a means:

• anti-inflammatory;
• antiallergic;
• antimicrobial;
• astringent;
• disinfectant;
• hemostatic;
• sedative;
• antispasmodic;
• diaphoretic;
• anticonvulsant;
• diuretic;
• choleretic.

Important!It is forbidden to use chamomile essential oil for children under six years of age. Any use of drugs based on this herb should be accompanied by consultation with a pediatrician.

In addition to all of the above, this herbal medicine from the plant world successfully cures many diseases:

• rheumatism;
• inflammation of the stomach and intestines;
• hepatitis;
• genitourinary diseases;
• insomnia;
• rheumatism;
• gout;
• migraine;
• colic and bloating in young children.

Odorous (tongueless)

This chamomile is called tongueless because it has no petals. It also has healing properties, although its use in medicine is limited mainly to external use. Another name for it is odorous, as it has a stronger odor than its pharmacy counterpart.

Description and distribution

The name of this species in Latin is Chamomilla suaveolens. Plants with erect shoots, annuals, grow up to 35 centimeters, shoots branch from above, with pinnately dissected leaves. The inflorescences look like baskets up to 15 mm wide, the hypanthium is bare, conical in shape. The baskets contain tubular flowers of yellowish-green color. As already mentioned, the tongueless species has no petals on the edges of the flowers.

There are brown fruits in the form of long achenes, bent in shape, which do not have a tuft. Fragrant chamomile grows from the western regions of Russia to Southern Siberia, and Kamchatka, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It grows as a weed along the streets of villages, on agricultural lands and unplowed lands, near housing, along railway tracks and in wastelands.

Composition and benefits

In the fragrant analogue of chamomile, both flowers and leaves are medicinal, since they have identical disinfecting properties that can relieve inflammatory processes in the body. Although only flowers are used for treatment.
Contain fragrant flowers the following components:

• coumarins;
• flavonoids (there are more of them in the aerial parts than in flowers);
• salicylic acid;
• ascorbic acid;
• carotene;
• gum;
• bitterness;
• mucus;
• fatty acid glycerides.

IN essential oil discovered:

• β-farnesene;
• β-myrcene;
• traces of chamazulene;
• farnesene;
• geraniol;
• myrcene.

Important!You can neither boil the raw material from tongueless chamomile, nor brew it with boiling water - this will destroy the chamazulene contained in it, which can accelerate tissue regeneration, relieve allergies and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

The beneficial qualities of tongueless chamomile are widely used in medicine.
Preparations based on it are useful for:

• rinsing during acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections;
• runny nose;
• conjunctivitis;
• skin itching and allergies;
• inhalations of the upper respiratory tract;
• gastritis;
• colitis;
• stomach ulcer;
• duodenal ulcer;
• flatulence;
• bedsores;
• helminthic infestations.

Garden daisies with description and photo

As already mentioned at the beginning of the article, decorative representatives of this species were obtained by breeding them from wild plants. Their purpose is to decorate gardens and farmsteads. Chamomiles are also loved to be planted because of their undemanding and unpretentious nature. Now let's look at some garden species these flowers.

Doronicum

This flower is also called gooseberry. It blooms early, in early May, and has bright yellow flowers. There are 36 species in this genus, but flower growers cultivate only three of them:

Nivyanyk

This is an ordinary daisy with a yellow disc framed by white petals. Also called milky chrysanthemum, gigantic chamomile, popovnik and golden flower. The cultivated flower is called common cornflower. Grows up to 70 cm, flowers are up to 7 cm in diameter. Blooms from June to late July. Nivyanik is known for more than ten varieties, differing in petals and doubleness. Let's name some of them:

Did you know?Doctors who treated ancient Roman soldiers made extracts from chamomile flowers, and soaked bandages with this juice, which were then applied to the wounds of the soldiers.

Pyrethrum

These are very bright and colorful flowers with different colors - white, pink, red and crimson. They can be either simple or terry. Here is a small list of them with brief characteristics:

This variety also contains a hybrid: feverfew - a border variety with yellow-golden leaves. There are several types of this hybrid:

Antemis

This variety has another name - dyeing navel. The flowers of anthemis are yellow, up to 5 centimeters in diameter. The flower grows up to 80 cm, blooms long and profusely starting in June. It has decorative pinnately dissected, greenish-gray leaves. This is a self-seeding plant. It has several elegant varieties for landscaping:

The dye navel is successfully used landscape designers in the design of rock gardens, borders and mixborders. These flowers look beautiful against the background of lawns, stones and flower beds in different styles.