Plants: We cannot live without them
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 29, 2010
Oak
Plants are absolutely necessary for our survival.
We can live without corporations, computers, television, houses filled with knick-knacks etc, etc, but we cannot live without plants.
To all of the gardeners, market gardeners, fruit growers and farmers – I salute you.
Plants purify the air we breathe and absorb the pollutants we constantly pump into the environment. They also help reduce soil erosion and storm water runoff, and they stabilize the soil. They also provide us with material to build houses.
Trees provide summer shade which can reduce the need for using air conditioners. It is said that one correctly placed oak tree can give the same effect as using four evaporative air conditioners. The difference in temperature (in a hot climate) between full sun and under the shade of a mature tree can be as much as 10°C.
Evergreen shrubs can reduce air flow velocity by as much as 85%, this again leads to a saving in fuel consumption.
Most importantly, plants provide us with food and medicine.
Plants are used in medicine in different ways. The naturally occurring plant material, or plants that are used in their ‘raw’ state, are referred to as natural remedies or botanical medicines. The use of plants in this manner is called herbal medicine.
Non toxic plants and their extracts are used for stabilizing blood pressure and increasing the body’s resistance to stress, bacterial and viral invasion and toxins. These plants are known as ‘adaptogens’ and one well known example is ginseng.
According to the World Health Organisation, herbal medicine accounts for approximately 80% of the primary health care of the world’s population.
Many pharmaceutical drugs also contain plant based ingredients. One example is Taxol, used as an anti-cancer drug. It is derived from the bark of Taxus brevifolia and Taxus baccata.
Many other drugs have been produced from botanical findings. Morphine and codeine are produced from poppies. Treatment of Hodgkin’s disease and childhood leukaemia are derived from Madagascan periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), and the heart drug Digoxin comes from foxglove (Digitalis lanata).
So as you can see, we need plants for our survival. Look after them.
Flowers for Cutting
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 27, 2010
Flower arrangement
I spent twelve years in the Floriculture industry, growing and propagating protea, leucadendron, leucospermum and banksia. These plants were grown in the field under drip irrigation, on acidic sandy soil over clay. I was also involved with the growing of ‘soft’ flowers, meaning they were grown under cover. Some of the flowers grown were carnations, lisianthus and snapdragons, just to name a few.
It occurred to me that you may be interested in some ‘behind the scenes’ information of this industry.
Firstly, let me point out that this industry is not organic. There is an extremely heavy reliance on the use of chemicals. Unfortunately, because they are flowers, the first thing that most people do – is sniff the flowers. Please don’t do that unless you can guarantee that there is no chemical residue on the flowers or foliage.
The general public expect perfection in bunches of flowers, and florists also expect perfection with extra long stems. This is very hard to produce without the aid of chemicals. So chemicals are used to grow the plants, extend their stem length, keep bugs and diseases at bay and prolong the vase life after picking. It really is a cocktail.
As far as vase life is concerned, temperature plays a very important role.
For a plant to produce a flower, then nectar and ultimately seeds, it takes a great deal of energy. This energy is produced by respiration, through the consumption of sugars and starches that were produced during photosynthesis. It is very much like respiration in humans, that is, we derive our energy through the food we eat.
The high respiration rate produces heat which can be thought of as the rate of deterioration or death. Therefore, the faster the respiration rate, the sooner the flower will die. It seems logical then, that lowering the respiration rate will slow down the deterioration of the flower. This can be achieved by lowering the temperature.
Commercial flower growers and florists will keep the cut flowers under refrigeration. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, and in this case, tropical flowers should not be kept at temperatures below 10°C.
There are three main temperature ‘groups’. The first is the tropical flowers which do not need to be cooled. The second group of plants require moderate refrigeration above 4°C but not higher than 6°C. Some plants in this group include: – gladioli, anemones, alstoemeria and acacia. The third group require full refrigeration at 1°C to 4°C. These include:- roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, gerbera, gypsophila and tulips.
Now obviously you want to display your flowers and not keep them in the refrigerator, so how can you prolong their vase life?
You could buy special flower preservatives to put in the vase with the flowers, or you could make your own. Here is a recipe straight from the horse’s mouth (so to speak).
1 litre water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar OR a pinch of citric acid
¼ to 1 teaspoon household bleach
Mix all ingredients together and use in a vase with fresh cut flowers.
The idea behind this recipe is – the bleach will kill off any bad bugs or bacteria, the vinegar or citric acid will change the pH of the water to a more acid solution so the flower stems can then take up the sugar (food) more readily and it also unblocks any air bubble blockages that may have occurred when cutting the stems before placing them in water.
Another important factor in prolonging the vase life of cut flowers is the presence of ethylene.
Ethylene is a gas that cannot be smelled or seen. It reduces the vase life of cut flowers and accelerates their senescence. The major source of ethylene is car fumes, so be wary of buying flowers from shops who keep bunches of flowers in buckets on the footpath. Another source of ethylene is ripening fruit and dying flowers. If one flower in a bunch starts to die, the rest will soon follow and never keep a vase of flowers next to a bowl of fruit for the same reason.
I hope these tips have been helpful to you, and if you want sweet smelling flowers that are not loaded with chemicals, grow your own.
Lilly Pilly Recipes
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 23, 2010
I spent this afternoon in the garden and noticed the Lilly Pilly (Syzygium spp.) trees were loaded with fruit. So, being the flexible person that I am, gardening was out for the day and preserving was in.
Here is a photo of the Lilly Pilly fruit on the tree.
Lilly Pilly fruit
The fruit is then washed and cut in half to remove the stone.
Ready to use
I could have left the stones in, but unsuspecting visitors may be embarrassed about spitting the pips out.
The first batch I made was Brandied Lilly Pilly.
Brandied Lilly Pilly
Place a layer of fruit in a sterilized jar and lightly cover with sugar. Keep adding more layers of fruit and sprinkle with sugar each time until you reach the top of the jar. Cover with Brandy and label the jar. Shake the jar daily until all of the sugar has dissolved, then place in a cupboard for three months before using.
The second batch of fruit was used to make preserved Lilly Pilly in Quince sauce.
Fruit and Syrup
If you would rather make sugar syrup instead of Quince sauce, mix equal parts of sugar and water in a saucepan and add some lemon juice or pectin, then bring to the boil. Keep the mixture at a rolling boil until the sugar has dissolved then add the Lilly Pilly fruit.
Keep the mixture boiling for about 10 to 15 minutes, and then ladle the fruit into sterilized jars with a slotted spoon. Keep the liquid boiling until it has reduced by half, then pour over the fruit and seal well.
The reason I used Quince sauce was because I had it in the cupboard from a failed batch of Quince jelly last year (it didn’t set so I called it sweet Quince sauce) and it meant that I didn’t have to make the sugar syrup. Just heat the sauce and fruit together until boiling and follow the instructions from there.
Both of these recipes can be eaten with ice cream or cream. The preserved Lilly Pilly is nice when placed in the middle of a small square of puff pastry and baked in the oven.
If you have made any brandied fruit or preserved fruit before, use the Lilly Pilly as you would for any other fruit.
But look at that colour – its stunning.
Yummy
Citrus Pests
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 20, 2010
Kumquat
You are very fortunate if you can grow citrus plants in your garden without them being affected by pests.
I have listed some of the more common pests below.
Black citrus aphid is usually a problem on young citrus trees. They are seen on new growth, mainly in spring and if severe, can cause stunted growth and the production of honeydew, which can then develop into sooty mould.
If ants are detected, they must also be dealt with because they can disrupt the control of black aphid by natural predators. The aphids multiply rapidly and early detection is important.
Both biological and chemical control can be used on Black aphid. Biological control usually occurs naturally by early summer and is obtained by encouraging natural predators such as ladybirds, hover fly, lacewing larvae, birds and parasitic wasps.
Scale. Many types of scale attack citrus trees. Some are: – red scale, soft brown scale, black scale and cottony cushion scale. Red scale is the most common and usually causes the most damage to trees. The other three types of scale are normally controlled by natural predators.
Red scale are very small insects that have a waxy covering that is circular in shape and reddish brown in colour. Infestations can cause blemished fruit, split fruit and fruit fall. If the infestation is particularly severe, it can cause stunting of the tree and even death. As many as 45 nymphs are produced per female. They prefer warm, dry conditions followed by autumn rain.
Control can be achieved by spraying the tree in mid-summer with a ‘summer spraying oil’. Make sure all of the leaves are thoroughly covered by the oil, which suffocates the scale. Follow the directions on the label or, if making up your own spray, make a two per cent solution of oil in water and stir the mixture constantly while spraying to avoid the oil/water separating.
Sooty mould looks just like the name says – soot. It is a black powdery substance on the leaves and twigs, and sometimes also on the fruit.
Sap sucking insects (that’s like plant vampires), such as aphids, mealy bugs and whitefly larvae, are the cause of sooty mould. They excrete (eewww) a sweet, sticky, honey-dew, and the mould grows and feeds on this.
Ants like to transport aphids, which helps in the spread of the honey-dew, so it is important to control or treat the ants when they are seen on or around the affected trees.
Mites of various types may also infest citrus.
Citrus rust mite causes damage on immature fruit during summer and autumn. It prefers humid conditions with temperatures below 35°C. Heavily infested fruit appears to have a coating of dust which is actually the mite and its castings.
Broad mite attack can cause leaf edges to curl under, and the under-surface of leaves to go a bronze colour. Fruit that is situated lowest on the tree are affected first.
Citrus red mite, are 0.5 mm long and dark red in colour. Their presence causes leaves and immature fruit to lose colour and appear pale, with leaves eventually falling from the tree, starting at the top.
Natural control can occur if weather conditions change or if there is a high number of ladybirds.
Creating an environment for natural and beneficial predators is always helpful in the control of any problem pests.
Ladybird larvae
.
Growing Kiwifruit
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 14, 2010
Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) is also known as Chinese gooseberry.
It is a deciduous vine that originates from the Yangtze Valley of China.
In Australia, home gardeners commonly grow this vine over a pergola. It can reach quite a substantial size and needs about 6 to 8 metres of trellis space, so make sure the support is strong and secure, and large enough to accommodate two plants.
The vine will take three or four years to bear fruit but will continue to produce fruit for 20 to 40 years. Hence the strong support. You wouldn’t want your support to rust or rot after about 10 years and have the whole lot come crashing down.
There are separate male and female plants (this is called dioecious) so you will need one of each to produce fruit. If you are considering growing kiwifruit for large fruit production, one male plant will be sufficient to fertilize up to 8 female vines.
If the plants are not in flower, there is no way of knowing if the plant is male or female. You will need to take the nursery’s word for it. Or if you know someone who already has a male and a female plant, cuttings can be taken from late spring until early autumn. Bottom heat and misting will help the cuttings to root quicker.
Kiwifruit prefer to grow in a mild climate. If they are grown in very hot climates, the yield will be reduced and if they experience heavy frosts in spring, the young shoots and flowers may be damaged, again leading to reduced yields. If you can grow passionfruit, you will most likely be able to grow kiwifruit.
Give the vines a warm protected position away from damaging winds. The soft shoots are brittle and prone to wind damage.
The preferred soil for growing kiwifruit is a friable sandy loam with good drainage and a pH around neutral, but a slight variation in pH either direction (acid or alkaline) is ok.
Dig plenty of organic matter into the soil prior to planting to help improve the soil structure.
Most vines are planted in winter when they are dormant but potted or bagged plants can be planted any time of the year with a little extra care.
Space the vines 6 to 8 metres apart and do not fertilize until growth resumes in spring.
If erecting a trellis specifically for kiwifruit, have the uprights about 1.8 m (6’) high and space the wires 40cm to 60cm apart.
Start training the young vine as soon as growth begins. Select the strongest shoot, which will become the main trunk, and remove side shoots as they appear. If growing conditions have been good, this main shoot should reach the top of the trellis (1.8m) by the end of the first growing season.
At the start of the next growing season, train the shoot horizontally along the trellis, either left or right. Allow another side shoot to develop near the top but in the opposite direction to the existing shoot. Now you should have two arms, one to the left and one to the right.
Side shoots that develop from the arms can be trained across the top of the structure (like a roof) but prune out any growth that is rubbing or crossing over another shoot.
Once the vine is mature or bearing fruit, pruning is best carried out in winter after harvesting the fruit. If the pruning is left too late the cuts will bleed. Fruiting laterals are pruned to the second bud past the previous season’s fruiting buds.
Male plants are usually pruned in summer to encourage fresh new growth that will bear flowers the following season.
Kiwifruit are heavy feeders and will need to be fertilized regularly, usually spring and summer.
They also have a shallow fibrous root system so regular watering is essential. Do not let the roots dry out. Mulch will help to protect the soil and shallow roots, but keep the mulch at least 20cm away from the base of the vine as it is susceptible to collar rot.
The good news is, kiwifruit seldom suffer from pest or disease problems.
The fruit is oval shaped and slightly larger than a passionfruit with a brown fuzz coating. They are easily peeled and can be eaten fresh or used in jams, chutneys or my favourite – on top of Pavlova.
The fruit normally ripens late autumn or early winter, depending on location and if left on the vine the fruit will begin to soften. If you anticipate storing the fruit for a lengthy spell, then pick the fruit before it becomes soft but when it is mature, around late autumn.
But why store it? It’s so yummy you just want to dig right in and eat them straight off the vine (after peeling of course).
So, why the name kiwifruit? New Zealand horticulturists further developed the Chinese gooseberry to produce a range of varieties with larger fruit, less vigour (less pruning) and heavy yielding. Most kiwifruit sold in Australia are imported from New Zealand.
Sensory Gardens
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 9, 2010
Himeji Garden
What a wonderful thing to have physical senses and to appreciate them in the garden is even better.
So what is a sensory garden? It is a garden which stimulates all or some of our five senses.
All gardens are sensory to a certain degree. They either, look pretty (sight), smell nice (smell), grow fruit and vegetables (taste), have rusting leaves, running water or wind chimes (sound) or have different textured leaves (touch).
A well designed garden can be a pleasure to the eyes. Good use of open space and enclosed areas can create interest, relaxation or intimacy.
The use of colour can change a person’s mood. A Lot of green foliage is relaxing to the eyes where as a lot of ‘hot’ colours are stimulating and give a ‘wow’ factor but do not encourage the visitor to sit and contemplate.
A visually impaired person would appreciate colour contrasts in foliage of the plants in the garden.
Grey or variegated white leaved plants carefully positioned along a path, show up well when illuminated of a night thus helping to guide the walker along the path. Or light coloured pavers used as a header course along the edge of a path will achieve the same result.
Plants that are pollinated by birds or butterflies add another dimension to the visual garden. As do plants that reflect the seasons. Deciduous trees indicating the approach of winter and early flowering spring bulbs to herald the beginning of spring.
Aroma. This is an interesting one because, not only do we have some incredibly wonderful smelling plants but, we also have some almighty rotten stinking plants. Have you ever smelled Dracunculus vulgaris? OMG. This plant is pollinated by blowflies. That may give you some indication of the flower scent and Ruta graveolens (rue), I think comes a close second. Have you ever smelled stray tom cats at the height of breeding season? Yep, that’s rue.
Because the two words ‘sensory’ and ‘garden’ sound so romantic and ‘nice’, let’s forget the stinkers and concentrate on the less offensive plants. Remember it is not only flowers that smell but also foliage.
Freshly mown grass has a distinctive smell, agreeable to most (except hayfever sufferers) and rain on a lemon scented gum tree also has a unique refreshing aroma.
Smells or odours can also bring back memories from recent or long forgotten events. Research has also shown that certain plant aromas can stimulate specific responses in a person. For example, basil, jasmine, rosemary, thyme, bergamot and pine are stimulating to the senses, so you would not plant these in an area where you have seating and want to encourage someone to spend some time. Conversely, lavender, lemon balm, clary sage and chamomile have a sedating effect, so you would plant these around or near a garden seat.
Remember not to plant all of your favourite scented plants in the same garden bed. The smell would be overwhelming and not distinctive. Give each plant their own space, so you can enjoy the individual aroma.
Taste. This sense is rather obvious with gardeners growing the plants they like the taste of. It may be vegetables, fruit, berries or herbs and spices to use in cooking. The most important thing here is to be aware of any poisonous plants that you may have growing in the garden and keep children and pets well away from them. Sometimes even the most beautiful plants like Wisteria and Laburnum can be deadly to children.
The sound of running water in a garden can be very soothing (unless you have a full bladder) and carefully placed wind chimes can indicate wind direction, or a tall person walking in to them if they are poorly positioned.
If you take the time to stop and listen while sitting in a garden, there is no silence.
Bees humming, frogs croaking, birds chirping or warbling, crickets singing, dogs barking, lawn mowers revving etc, etc.
The idea is to concentrate on the pleasant sounds, so if you want birds in your garden, provide them with food water and shelter. If you want frogs in the garden, create a frog pond – but remember they don’t have watches and will not stop making a noise just because you think it is bedtime.
If placing wind chimes around the garden make sure they are not in walk ways, but carefully positioned where there is no foot traffic, but a high likelihood of a gentle breeze.
The sense of touch, like the sense of smell, can be pleasurable or not. Rubbing your fingers over the soft leaves of lamb’s ears (Stachys sp.) is a wonderful experience but brushing up against stinging nettle may be memorable but not pleasurable.
There are so many plants available to gardeners that the variety of leaf forms and shapes is enormous. Soft leaves, prickly leaves, smooth leaves, rough leaves, hairy leaves, no leaves and on it goes. The plants and trees themselves are also wonderful to touch, smooth bark, rough bark, shrubs that bounce back when crushed, grasses that move in the slightest breeze (or is that a snake in there?) and let’s not forget the soil.
How wonderful it is to place your hands in the soil and be part of creating a garden for the senses.
Growing Citrus in the home garden
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 5, 2010
Sad citrus
With a variety of citrus growing in the garden, there can be a supply of fruit for most of the year.
The main types of citrus grown are: – oranges, lemons, mandarins, grapefruit and limes, but of course there are many more.
Citrus purchased from garden centres have been budded onto approved rootstock.
Usually, the choice of rootstock will reflect where the citrus tree is to be grown.
If you live in an area with heavy clay soil, the rootstock will be different to those recommended for sandy soil.
Choosing the correct site to plant a citrus tree is important. For example, avoid planting one in a lawn because the shallow roots of the citrus cannot compete very well with the turf grasses.
Allow ample room for growth. The mature tree will need about four metres diameter (this is a generalisation, as individual trees and rootstocks may differ) and approximately six metres in height.
Young trees will need protection from prevailing winds and severe frost. They are sub-tropical trees and thrive best in areas of high rainfall and sunny conditions.
Citrus prefer to grow in deep well drained soil of medium to sandy texture. If your soil is not like that, choose a citrus that has been grafted onto a rootstock that will withstand heavy clay soil (if that’s what you have).
Planting the tree in the centre of a mound approximately 30 cm (12”) high and 2 metres across will help to improve the drainage and avoid water logging in heavy soils.
Plant the tree at the same depth as it was planted in the pot with the strongest roots facing the prevailing wind. Firm the soil around the roots and water well.
Do not bury the bud union and avoid planting in hot weather. The best time to plant citrus is spring or autumn in frost free areas or late spring in frost risk areas.
Your newly planted trees should be kept moist and if summer temperatures are high, the irrigation frequency may need to be increased.
The average mature tree will need about 70 to 100 litres of water a day during summer, depending on soil type.
Mulching the citrus tree will help to protect its surface feeding roots. Use a layer of mulch about 10 cm – 15 cm (4”-6”) deep, depending on material used, and keep it at least 10 cm (4”) away from the trunk of the tree so as not to encourage collar rot. Lemons are particularly susceptible.
Minimal pruning is required but remove any obvious dead wood.
Once the tree has developed its own shape, you can ‘skirt’ or prune up to 40 cm from the ground to help with air flow and ventilation. This is a precaution against fungal diseases.
The most common diseases or problems with citrus are collar rot, scale insects, sooty mould, fruit drop and yellowing leaves.
With collar rot, the bark above the ground will split longitudinally. Initially the infected areas look water soaked but soon become dark brown and then the bark lifts from the wood as it dries. The first signs of collar rot are yellowing of the leaves with leaf and fruit drop.
Scale can be found on the leaves, twigs, branches and stems. It is a small insect that lives beneath a protective scale, sort of like its own little house. These can be removed manually if the infestation is small or a spray of white oil can be used as long as the temperature is mild.
Sooty mould looks like the name suggests – soot. It can occur on leaves branches and fruit and is usually associated with ants. When treating the tree for aphids or white fly, the usual cause of sooty mould, also treat the ants because they ‘harvest’ the aphids and move them to nearby plants.
Fruit drop can occur if the tree is carrying too much fruit or it can occur due to poor soil drainage, fertilizer burn or irregular watering.
Yellowing of leaves often occurs in areas where the soil is alkaline or where certain minerals are unavailable or deficient.
Zinc deficiency appears as yellowing of the edges of leaves and between the veins of the leaves.
Manganese deficiency appears as blotchy yellowing all over the leaf
Iron deficiency appears as yellowing between the veins but the veins themselves stay green. There is usually an association with limestone or high pH with iron deficiency.
Potassium in the soil can affect the uptake of these mineral nutrients, so they are frequently applied as a foliar fertilizer.
It all sounds as if it is too much effort but just imagine those freshly picked oranges, lemons and mandarins, – yum
Chamomile – is it Roman or German?
Posted by Phytopath on Apr 3, 2010
Chamomile & Calendula
Do you ever feel confused when reading about chamomile? I certainly do, but thankfully we have botanical names to sort it out.
Both plants belong to the Asteraceae, or daisy family, so people with a known hypersensitivity to daisy plants, should not handle either one. And both have undergone name changes, which doesn’t help if you are reading old text books.
Roman chamomile is Chamaemelum nobile, but was previously known as Anthemis nobilis.
The plant grows from 10 to 30 cm (4-12”) high and 45 cm (18”) wide and is an aromatic evergreen perennial. The flowers are solitary with creamy white ray florets and yellow disks, typical daisy flowers, and they occur in summer. The leaves are finely divided and have a strong apple scent.
There are two other varieties that are popular with gardeners, they are: ‘Flore Pleno’ which has double flowers and only grows to 15 cm (6”) high and ‘Treneague’ also known as lawn chamomile, which grows to 10 cm (4”) high and does not produce flowers.
All varieties prefer a light well-drained soil in full sun, if you live in a cool climate, or dappled shade, if you live in a hot climate. If the winters are very cold or very wet the plants may be affected.
The flowers and the essential oil are the parts used medicinally, economically and culinary.
Culinary use was made famous in Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Peter Rabbit when a tea was made from the flowers. They are also used to flavour Manzanilla sherry.
Economically, the essential oil is used in hair products to lighten and condition and give a shine to fair hair.
When the essential oil is distilled from the flowers it is a blue colour. The depth of the colour changes depending on where the plant is grown.
The essential oil is also a uterine stimulant and should not be taken internally or used externally during pregnancy.
Medicinally, the flowers are used as an anti-inflammatory.
Internally, they are typically used for indigestion, insomnia, hyperactivity and fevers.
Externally, the flowers are made into a cream or lotion and used for skin irritations and insect bites. Fresh flowers can also be used in hot water as a facial steam treatment.
An infusion of flowers is also said to be good for the prevention of damping off in seedlings, – it’s worth a try.
German chamomile has also undergone a few name changes. Today it is known as Matricaria recutita, but previously it was known as Matricaria chamomilla and even Chamomilla recutita (I wander if plants suffer from identity crisis).
German chamomile also has a couple of common names, they are: wild chamomile and scented mayweed – as well as German chamomile.
Both plants are used for similar purposes and some herbalists even combine the two at various proportions.
Dry to moist, well drained soil in full sun is the best spot for this chamomile. The plant is an annual growing from 15 to 60 cm (6-24”) tall and 10 to 38 cm (4-15”) wide. The flowers appear from summer to autumn and look like Roman chamomile flowers.
German chamomile does not smell the same as Roman chamomile and it has a less bitter taste.
The flowers are harvested when they are fully open, and they can be used fresh, dried or frozen for later use. If drying the flowers, do not store for long periods because the volatile oil is quickly lost.
German chamomile has a slightly different chemical analysis to Roman chamomile, having a slightly higher proportion of volatile oil.
The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the oil are very effective in healing burns and preventing ulceration and infection.
It is an aromatic sedative herb that benefits digestion, relaxes spasms, reduces inflammation, promotes healing, relieves pain and stimulates the immune system.
Medicinally, it is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome, digestive complaints brought about by nerves, insomnia and motion sickness. Externally it is used to treat sunburn, wounds, haemorrhoids, mastitis and leg ulcers.
It is not advisable to use German chamomile while pregnant, breast feeding or taking anti-coagulant medication.
Economically, it is used in cosmetics and hair preparations. Extracts are used to flavour liqueurs, ice cream and confectionary.
So are you any the wiser? Why not grow both. Often when plants are grown side by side, it becomes much easier to identify them.
