Roman Chamomile
In short
Summary of findings for quick reference
Roman chamomile has a real but regional tradition of its own, separate from German chamomile. It is the low, sweet, apple-scented garden and lawn camomile of the Atlantic fringe of western Europe, native to the British Isles, France, Iberia and the northwestern Maghreb. Its documented record is early-modern rather than ancient: the Elizabethan chamomile lawn and the English herbals of Gerard in 1597, Parkinson in 1640 and Culpeper in 1653, carried forward through French and English cultivation into modern aromatherapy. The name Roman comes from a sixteenth-century misnomer, a plant recorded near Rome in 1598, not from any Roman-era use. That honest, narrower record places this entry at an established level of historical significance, not the foundational depth of German chamomile.
The clinical picture for Roman chamomile itself is thin. Almost all published chamomile trials study German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, not Chamaemelum nobile, and the two have clearly different essential-oil chemistry, so those findings cannot be transferred. The most relevant species-specific work, Sándor and colleagues in 2018 in Frontiers in Pharmacology, was an in-vitro organ-bath study that found a smooth-muscle relaxing effect consistent with the traditional antispasmodic use, not a human clinical trial. The honest reading is a tradition-anchored plant with mostly laboratory and aromatherapy evidence, not a proven remedy.
The European regulator does recognise Roman chamomile on its own. There is a dedicated EMA HMPCEuropean Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) monograph for the flower, Chamomillae romanae flos (EMA/HMPC/560734/2010, finalised 22 November 2011), but it is a traditional-use status only, for the symptomatic treatment of mild spasmodic gastro-intestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence, with no well-established-use claim. This is a separate document from the German chamomile monograph (Matricaria chamomilla); the two species must not be conflated. As a daisy-family plant, Roman chamomile carries an Asteraceae cross-reactivity caution, so anyone who reacts to German chamomile, ragweed or daisies should be careful or avoid it.
Clinical evidence ↔ Historical significanceWe display two separate evidence categories: clinical evidence from modern trials and historical significance from documented healing tradition. Both are valuable, but they answer different questions.Read more
In every encyclopedia entry we evaluate two distinct categories of evidence. Clinical evidence as used in trials meets a narrower but scientifically essential bar. At the same time, the hundreds of thousands of plant species worldwide have only partially been captured and tested in modern studies.
Alongside the trial picture our researchers compile a comprehensive overview of where and since when a plant has been used across different traditions of natural medicine. When a plant has been used as a medicinal plant in many cultures across many generations, that historical significance deserves to be visible too.
Our position: a truly informative overview emerges only when both categories sit side by side. We communicate transparently what counts as what.
Overview
Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) should not be confused with German or true chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla). Both belong to the daisy family (Asteraceae) and carry similarly small white flowers with a yellow centre, but they are two distinct species with different growth habits, different essential-oil chemistry, and different traditional uses. When Austrians say "Kamille" they almost always mean German chamomile, which has been the household tea, the inhalation, and the home-medicine staple for generations.
Roman chamomile grows low and mat-forming as a perennial, while German chamomile is upright and annual. Its essential oil is composed differently: noticeably more esters (especially angelic-acid esters), which carry the characteristic apple-like scent, and noticeably less chamazulene, the blue compound that gives German chamomile essential oil its deep blue colour. In Austria, Roman chamomile is used mainly in aromatherapy, in natural cosmetics, and occasionally in the English homeopathic tradition. It does not hold a central place in Austrian household-remedy tradition the way German chamomile does.
History
Roman chamomile is native to western Europe and the Atlantic region, where it has been used since antiquity as an aromatic and medicinal plant. Mediterranean physicians and English herbals of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries described it as calming and stomach-soothing. In Victorian England it became central to a distinct English aromatherapy and calming tradition. Classical Hahnemann-style homeopathy uses it as the remedy "Chamomilla" (which is in practice often prepared from M. chamomilla, occasionally from C. nobile).
In Austria, Roman chamomile never gained the standing that German chamomile holds. The household-remedy tradition across the German-speaking region has relied for generations on German chamomile, present in every kitchen as tea, gargle, and steam inhalation. Roman chamomile entered Austrian everyday use only through modern aromatherapy and imported natural cosmetics, and it remains a niche plant there.
Mechanism
The essential oil of Roman chamomile differs chemically from that of German chamomile in a clear way. Its largest fraction is made up of angelic-acid esters (tiglate, isobutyl, and methyl-angelate esters), which give the oil its characteristic apple-like sweet scent and leave it visibly colourless to pale yellow. Chamazulene, the blue compound that turns German chamomile essential oil deep blue, is present in Roman chamomile only in small amounts.
Far less is published on the pharmacology of this ester profile than on the apigenin and chamazulene pharmacology of German chamomile. Most clinical studies on "chamomile" refer to Matricaria chamomilla, not to Chamaemelum nobile. What is known about Roman chamomile comes mainly from traditional use, from essential-oil chemistry work in the lab, and from aromatherapy practice, rather than from large randomised clinical trials.
Modern clinical research on Roman chamomile is very limited. The great majority of published "chamomile" studies investigate Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile), not Chamaemelum nobile. Anyone reading a review article or meta-analysis on "chamomile" should look carefully at which species was actually studied. For Roman chamomile itself there are a few small pilot studies, mostly in aromatherapy contexts, alongside analytical work on essential-oil composition.
Roman chamomile in modern practice rests on the aromatherapy and cosmetics tradition and on English herbal practice, not on a broad clinical evidence base. It is honestly a tradition-anchored plant with thin modern evidence. The common practice of transferring findings from German chamomile to Roman chamomile is not scientifically defensible, because the essential-oil chemistry differs substantially.
Evidence
| Outcome | Class | Grade | Effect | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild spasmodic gastro-intestinal complaints (bloating, flatulence)The EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph for the Roman chamomile flower (Chamaemelum nobile flos, EMA/HMPC/560734/2010) covers the relief of mild spasmodic gastro-intestinal complaints, including bloating and flatulence. This is based on long-standing traditional use; clinical trial data specific to C. nobile remain limited, and most published "chamomile" evidence refers to Matricaria chamomilla.Adults, oral flower preparation | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | CEvidence quality grade C. Mixed or limited evidence. Small trials, signals, or traditional use under an EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Digestive (traditional use) | |
| Digestive support (mild dyspeptic complaints)Traditional digestive use exists but is far less studied than for German chamomile. Most published "chamomile" digestive evidence refers to Matricaria chamomilla, not Chamaemelum nobile.Adults, occasional use | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Weaker evidence than German chamomile | |
| Topical skin and cosmetic useLong traditional use in cosmetics, toners, baby-care, and skin preparations. Extracts and diluted essential oil appear in commercial cosmetics; modern clinical data are limited.Adults, external use | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | CEvidence quality grade C. Mixed or limited evidence. Small trials, signals, or traditional use under an EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional topical use | |
| Anti-inflammatory activityIn-vitro and animal work suggests anti-inflammatory activity for some essential-oil constituents, but human clinical trials on C. nobile specifically are not available.In-vitro / preclinical | InsufficientInsufficient data. No reliable trials or traditional sources available. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Preclinical signals |
Usage
Forms and preparation
In Austria Roman chamomile is not the usual chamomile tea. If you buy chamomile tea off the shelf or brew it from your garden, it is almost always German chamomile. If you specifically want to use Roman chamomile as a tea, take one heaping teaspoon of dried flower heads (roughly one to two grams) per cup, pour over freshly boiled water, cover the cup, and steep for five to ten minutes. The flavour is distinctly more apple-like and sweeter than German chamomile, with less of the bitter note. In aromatherapy, Roman chamomile essential oil (Chamaemelum nobile, often labelled "Roman chamomile" on bottles) is used in heavily diluted form. The classic preparation is one to three drops in a carrier oil such as almond or jojoba for a chest or temple massage, or a few drops in an aroma lamp or diffuser. Never apply the neat oil to the skin undiluted. In cosmetics, Roman chamomile appears in toners, creams, and baby-care products as an extract; the manufacturer chooses the dosage in those cases.
Dosage
The EMA HMPC has published a traditional-use monograph for the Roman chamomile flower (Chamaemelum nobile flos, EMA/HMPC/560734/2010, finalised 22 November 2011) for the relief of mild spasmodic gastro-intestinal complaints, including bloating and flatulence. It is a traditional-use monograph based on long-standing use, not on clinical efficacy trials, and German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) has a separate EMA monograph of its own. Most published "chamomile" research refers to Matricaria, not to Chamaemelum nobile. Traditional use and aromatherapy practice sit in the following range: as tea, one to two grams per cup, two to three cups a day; as essential oil, one to three drops diluted in a carrier oil per application, once or twice a day; in homeopathy, according to the directions on the specific globuli package. Build slowly. Try a small amount first, especially if you have a known daisy-family allergy or if German chamomile has already caused skin irritation for you in the past. Reactions can overlap between the two species. Concentrated essential oils are never for internal use and never to be applied neat to the skin.
Safety
Look-alikes
Toxic look-alikes
Echte / Deutsche Kamille (Matricaria chamomilla)
This is the critical distinction. Matricaria chamomilla is annual, upright, and grows thirty to sixty centimetres tall. Its flower receptacle is hollow (this is the most reliable identification test: cut through it; hollow means German chamomile). It has a more intense, stronger aroma, and its essential oil is deep blue from the high chamazulene content. It is the standard medicinal chamomile in Austrian and across German-speaking medicinal practice. Roman chamomile, by contrast, is perennial, low-growing, has a solid receptacle, and a sweet apple scent. Anyone in Austria buying or harvesting chamomile tea almost always has M. chamomilla in the pot, not C. nobile.
FAQs
What is the difference between Roman chamomile and German chamomile?
Both are daisy-family plants and look similar, but they are two distinct species. Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is perennial, low-growing and mat-forming, has a solid flower receptacle, and a sweet apple-like scent. German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is annual, upright, thirty to sixty centimetres tall, has a hollow receptacle, and a stronger aroma. The essential-oil chemistry also differs clearly: Roman chamomile carries more angelic-acid esters, German chamomile more chamazulene (the blue compound).
Which chamomile is the standard in Austria?
In Austria and across the German-speaking region, German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is the standard. It is the chamomile of the home medicine cabinet, the tea shelf, the midwife tradition, and of the EMA and German Commission E monographs. Roman chamomile is a niche plant here, known mainly from aromatherapy and natural cosmetics. When you buy or harvest "Kamillentee" in Austria, it is almost always German chamomile.
If I am allergic to German chamomile, is Roman chamomile safe?
Probably not. Both belong to the daisy family (Asteraceae), and cross-reactivity within this family is well described. Anyone who reacts to German chamomile with a rash, breathing difficulty, or another allergic response can also react to Roman chamomile. When in doubt, it is safer to avoid Roman chamomile and discuss the question with a doctor than to risk a reaction.
How do I use Roman chamomile essential oil?
Always diluted, never neat on the skin. The classic preparation is one to three drops in a carrier oil such as almond or jojoba for a massage, or a few drops in an aroma lamp or diffuser. The oil is colourless to pale yellow (not blue like German chamomile oil) and carries a characteristic sweet, apple-like scent. Concentrated essential oil is not intended for internal use. With a known daisy-family allergy, test cautiously or avoid it entirely.
Legal notice: The depiction of historical significance and traditional use is context within our encyclopedia and not a health claim for any product, not a treatment promise, and not a substitute for medical advice. What may be stated on product labels, product pages, or in advertising is governed by the applicable legal requirements.