Matricaria recutita/German or Blue Chamomile

pH 4.0–4.1

Aroma and Taste A slightly sharp, very green top note followed by a chamomile-tea middle aroma and a cool, wet bottom note. A complex and somewhat vertical aroma. Undiluted, a green-tea, bittersweet taste with a very gentle floral edge, but most of the bitterness disappears in dilution, leaving a wildflower honey aftertaste. Totally different from Roman chamomile.

Stability and Shelf Life Quite stable; at least fourteen months, but owing to the difficulty in acquiring this hydrosol, this is based on minimal data.

Properties and Applications A major anti-inflammatory both internally and externally and on all types of tissue. Use this alone or with lavender for bad burns or if blisters have already formed on a burn. Very serious burns requiring medical attention will often be bandaged, but try to get some Matricaria water on the wounds before wrapping and at each change of bandages to speed healing and reduce inflammation. All skin conditions with redness benefit: rashes, burns, sunburns, itching, even some eczema and psoriasis. Also compress on inflamed or swollen veins, hemorrhoids, varicosities, and thread and spider veins. Use alone or in a 50:50 mixture with witch hazel or rock rose hydrosol.

Reasonably antibacterial and antiseptic, it’s an excellent cleanser for sensitive, inflamed, or problem skin. Use as a compress or wash for topical fungal infections, followed by essential-oil treatments if needed. Used neat in a spray two or three times a week, it will clean up sweaty foot odors. Use internally both as a beverage and as a douche for candida, thrush, and urinary tract and vaginal infections; combine it with oregano, savory, thyme, or bee balm hydrosols and essential oils or herbs if the problem is systemic. A good digestive, it calms spasms in the intestinal tract, has some effect on ulcerative conditions in the bowel, and may be used in colonics.

German chamomile is instantly anxiolytic; drink it or mist it on when stressed before exams, presentations, or major events to calm and center and get rid of a nervous stomach. Because it is balancing to the autonomic nervous system, it is particularly beneficial to the type A personality, whether male or female. It works for me every time. Men often love the aroma, and it makes a wonderful aftershave on its own and can be combined with many other hydrolates for men’s body care, as it is both astringent and softening.

Roman chamomile is usually a better choice for children, although difficult skin conditions, atopic dermatitis, childhood eczema, and the like may require the extra strength of German chamomile. As it is even more sedative than Roman chamomile, just a few drops in a child’s bath will slow him or her down. It can be combined with neroli for hyperactivity and added in tiny amounts to juice or drinking water.

Extremely energetic, powerfully calming, and emotionally comforting, German chamomile soothes the beast within and allows a clear approach to issues of the heart and head. It is rare because of cohobation of distillation waters.