Wild Chamomile
Wild Chamomile, a culinary herb with daisylike flowers that are dried and brewed as a soothing tea reputed to aid indigestion, calm muscle spasms, and relieve the pain and swelling of arthritis. A member of the composite flower family, it is also called sweet false chamomile and German chamomile, to distinguish it from the closely related true or Roman chamomile. Wild chamomile is native to the temperate regions of Europe and western Asia. It has become naturalized in North America, where it grows wild. It grows best in poor, sandy soil in full sun. Wild chamomile is an annual, a plant that lives only one growing season. It reaches about 60 to 75 cm (about 2 to 2.5 ft) in height and has an upright, branching main stem. The bright green leaves, about 5.5 cm (about 2.2 in) long, are strongly apple-scented and finely divided, resembling fern leaves. The flowerhead is about 2.5 cm (about 1 in) in diameter. The yellow center of the flowerhead, which consists of disk flowers, is hollow a...