Camomile Ornamental & Edible At the Same Time

If you like chamomile tea, you'll like it better when its made with fresh chamomile flowers.

I focus most of my efforts on growing plants of the edible, rather than ornamental, variety.  That said, chamomile is one item that crosses both categories.  I planted chamomile for my 9 year old daughter as part of her "fairy garden" -- a garden that is designed to attracts fairies but also seems to do a very good job attracting humming birds, butterflies and bees.

Chamomile flowers are small and delicate with a bright yellow center surrounded by pure white petals.  They are quite pretty in the garden and have a wonderful floral aroma.  In traditional medicine, chamomile is used as a sleep aid and to soothe frayed nerves.

Chamomile tea is made from the the tiny, daisy-like flower heads of the plant. Well actually, "tisane" is made from the tiny flowers.  Tisane (pronunced Tiz-zane) is an herbal infusion.  Last year, I was properly schooled on the difference by my loving wife during a car trip back from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Somehow the topic came up, and I mistakenly called something a "tea" only to have my wife haughtily correct me on the matter.  For those that care, true tea is made from the leaves of 0nly one plant -- Cammelia Sinensis.  This is what we normal folks call "tea."  Green tea is made from the dried leaves of the plant.  With black tea, the leaves are first fermented and then dried.  All other infusions are technically tisanes. 

Camomile Tisane

To make a chamomile tisane, just harvest some fresh flowers and pour boiling water over them.  Let them brew for a few minutes and then remove the flowers.  The result is beverage that is significantly better than what you get in bags at the grocery store.  You can add some sugar or honey if you like your tea sweet.  

Chamomile is easy to grow, pretty and makes a nice tea. Oh yea, tisane.  If you like chamomile tea, you'll really enjoy it made from fresh flowers.  By the way, you can also dry these and use them at later date.  Just store them in  air tight jar to keep them fresh.

Chamomile seeds can be purchased from many of the major seed companies.

 

Photo: German Chamomile 

Comments

[Julianne]

I love this post -- informative and funny. I will be running out to buy some chamomile seeds, but I will have to call any brew I make from the flowers "tea" as I think I would be too embarrassed to be so particular as to start calling all my brews "tisane". Aw, who am I kidding, I'm a word nerd and this is a fun piece of trivia. Thanks for a great post.

[H. Mark Delman]

Thanks Julianne. There are several varieties but Im sure you can find a good one at Common Ground.