Chamomile tea is great for calming your frazzled nerves. The soothing begins as soon as you drink the delicate taste, and the chemical compounds within the tea can have you feeling calmer by the end of your first cup.

When you are ready to purchase your chamomile, you can find 2 main varieties. They are similar in function, but not in appearance, so be sure you’re getting the right chamomile for your needs.

German chamomile has a lot of functions, including teas and fragrances (like in lotions). The combination of this herb’s woody, apple smell and daisy-like appearance can brighten any room.

German chamomile is self-seeding, which is nice because it is an annual and this will save you some trouble with planting it again and again. You can even collect the seeds to use elsewhere in your garden or give some to a friend.

It’ll do best in full or direct sunlight and dry conditions. It will grow straight up, unlike Roman chamomile, and your German chamomile plant should grow to a height of nearly 3 feet.

The best way to raise German chamomile is to either plant the seeds in a container indoors or to sprinkle them on the ground. Regardless of whether you plant the seeds indoors or outdoors, you don’t need to cover them because they are so little. Keep the earth moist, but not wet, and if you are cultivating your German chamomile in pots, wait until your seedlings are at least four inches high before you transplant them. The very best way to increase your harvest is to plant more seeds every 4 weeks during the growing season. German chamomile produces only a few blossoms, so the more you grow the better.

I haven’t seen the kind of German chamomile that is double-flowered, but I am sure it is beautiful.

A good way to ease tension is to drink a cup of tea that has Roman chamomile in it, which is frequently called “true chamomile” or “English chamomile.” English chamomile has the same woody, apple-like smell of the German chamomile, but it is special in that it is a creeper or ground cover rather than a bushy herb.

Because this herb is a creeper, it will not reach more than 10 inches high. In the summer, the Roman chamomile will get a little taller and sprout little white blossoms with yellow centers that are similar to the German chamomile, but more aromatic.

The oil from the Roman chamomile is used to lighten or soften your hair. Chamomile is also called manzanilla in Spain and some varieties are used to flavor certain varieties of sherry.

This herb is not actually best if started from seeds, so I recommend you buy it or begin with a division from someone else’s Roman chamomile.

If you are a forgetful waterer, Roman chamomile is the plant for you since it is resistant to drought and can survive for some time without water.

It’s interesting that even though these 2 herbs have the same name, look similar and taste alike, scientists have determined that they aren’t even related.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Tea Herb Gardening. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.