About Chamomile
Chamomile is the soothing apple-scented flower of the cottage garden. It calms, comforts and is a traditional gamblers' and shopkeepers' luck herb — washing the hands in chamomile tea was said to draw money.
Gentle, well-documented mild sedative; also a traditional prosperity herb.
History & folklore
The Egyptians dedicated chamomile to the Sun god Ra. In medieval Europe it was a strewing herb, walked on to release its apple-like scent. It was called the 'plant's physician' because a sickly plant was said to recover when chamomile grew beside it. Peter Rabbit's mother gave him chamomile tea after his adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden.
Correspondences
- Traditional uses
- Peace, sleep, money
- Latin name
- Matricaria chamomilla
- Element
- Water
- Planet
- Sun
- Best day
- Sunday
- Moon phase
- Waxing moon — for drawing things toward you
- Intentions
- Calm, Sleep, Abundance
Ways to work with it
- Drink a cup of chamomile tea as a small evening ritual to close the day.
- Rinse your hands in cooled chamomile tea before paying bills or starting a money working.
- Add dried flowers to a sleep or peace sachet with lavender.
Growing & gathering
German chamomile is an annual that self-seeds happily in a sunny patch; Roman chamomile is a low perennial sometimes grown as a lawn. Pick the flower heads on a dry morning once fully open, and dry them on a tray. Plain chamomile tea bags work well for spellwork.
Avoid if you are allergic to daisy-family plants (ragweed, marigold). It may interact with blood-thinning medication.
Spells to try
Pairs well with
LavenderCalm, sleep, purification
CinnamonAbundance, passion, success
BasilProtection, prosperity, love
MintMoney, travel, healingCorrespondences are traditional associations gathered from folk practice and modern craft books. They vary between sources, and they are not medical advice. Read our editorial approach.