How to Tell English Chamomile from Roman Chamomile

Chamomile is one of the most popular of all the medicinal and aromatic herbs. While there are a number of different species of chamomile, English Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) and Roman Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) are the most widely used for home remedies and essential oils. English Chamomile and Roman Chamomile both bear pretty daisy-like blossoms and have a distinctly apple-like aroma. They also have similar medicinal properties and are often used interchangeably by herbalists. There are, however, several distinct differences between English Chamomile and Roman Chamomile that can help you tell the one from the other.

Instructions

• 1

  Compare their growing habits. Roman chamomile is a perennial, ground-hugging plant. As it grows, its foliage forms a thick, aromatic groundcover. German chamomile, on the other hand, is an annual herb with tall, erect stems and more sparsely spaced foliage. Roman chamomile grows up to one foot in length, while German chamomile grows two to three feet high.

• 2

  Compare their flowers. The flowers of Roman Chamomile have a flattened central disk (receptacle), while German Chamomile has a dome-shaped receptacle.

• 3

  Slice open the receptacle of a chamomile bloom. If it has a solid cross-section, then the bloom is from the Roman chamomile; if it is hollow, then it is from the German chamomile.

• 4

  Extract and compare their essential oils. Both species yield aromatic, blue essential oil. However, Roman chamomile yields a light blue essential oil when fresh, while essential oil extracted from German chamomile is a dark, inky shade of blue.

• 5

  Compare their active chemical constituents. Roman chamomile has a higher alcohol content than German chamomile, which in turn contains a higher proportion of chamazulene, a potent anti-inflammatory.