The real chamomile is a valuable medicinal herb. For the successful use of chamomile, however, there are a few things to consider when harvesting.
Harvest chamomile
About the right time to harvest the coveted flowers of the real ones chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), one can orientate oneself on the development stage of this. When around two-thirds of the conspicuously yellow tubular flowers on the domed flower base have bloomed, the chamomile flowers are ideal for harvesting. As soon as the bud of the entire inflorescence has opened, it takes about three to five days, depending on the weather, until the flower has reached this stage of development.
We harvest simply by snapping off the flowers on the stem just below the inflorescence. In the commercial cultivation of this coveted medicinal herb, of course, it is not harvested by hand. Specially designed combine harvesters are available here, with which the plants can be harvested mechanically up to three times during the flowering period. In general, care should be taken that the chamomile flowers are treated as gently as possible. They should be carefully and little touched during harvest and under no circumstances should they be washed afterwards. All of this would be unnecessary stress, which would lead to a negative conversion of the valuable ingredients in chamomile.
Store chamomile
It is also important during storage to be able to preserve the ingredients with the best possible result. That is why the flowers of real chamomile should be dried immediately after harvesting. This is best done in a dry, dark room. For the impatient who want to accelerate the drying process in the oven, for example, it is advisable not to take too high a drying temperature to heart. Because too much heat in dry preservation also leads to a disadvantageous breakdown of the healing active ingredients of real chamomile. If the flowers are properly and gently dried, they can be stored under an airtight seal for up to a year without any loss of effectiveness.
Why is chamomile so healthy? You will find useful information on the subject in our special article Chamomile as a medicinal plant.
