A Comparison of Roman, German, Wild, and Cape Chamomile

At Miracle Botanicals, we offer four different chamomile oils, and I often get questions from folks who are trying to decide which one to choose.

While our four chamomile oils have related aromas and healing properties, there is also quite a bit of difference between them. That’s why I decided to write up this little guide so you can easily decide which one or one(s) is right for you. Perhaps it’s all four!

To start with, all our chamomile essential oils come from plants in the Asteraceae, or daisy, family. These plants grow in different regions all around the world, and they are characterized by small, white flowers. All of the chamomile essential oils are gentle and they are safe for frequent use on the skin and through inhalation.

Now, let’s look at the unique aspects of each of the chamomile oils.

German (Blue) Chamomile

In aromatherapy, The best known of the chamomile oil is Blue chamomile (Matricaria recutita), also known as German or Hungarian chamomile. Blue chamomile essential oil gets its striking blue color due to chamazulene, a unique compound that’s produced during the steam-distillation of this oil.

Blue chamomile has a sweet, fruity, smoky, and herbaceous aroma. Along with its high chamazulene content, it contains high amounts of a-Bisabolol, and these two compounds account for much of the anti-inflammatory and pain-relief benefits of Blue chamomile essential oil.

Along with being great for alleviating aches, pains, and inflammatory skin problems, Blue chamomile essential oil is frequently the oil of choice in alleviating insomnia or sleeping disturbances.

Blue Chamomile can be found in our Pain Relief Formula, and Advanced Pain and Nerve Formula, which have received rave reviews from customers who have used them for pain relief.

It’s also included in Voice, which is part of our chakra series. The Voice blend is wonderful for alleviating physical and emotional pain related to the throat or 5th chakra, which can be very helpful for speaking with calm confidence and for singing.

Roman Chamomile

The second most popular variety of chamomile oil is Roman chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis), also known as English chamomile. The aroma of this chamomile is what most people associate with chamomile tea.

It has a sweet and soothing aroma, and while it contains the blue compound chamazulene in small amounts, it has a yellow to light blue color. Roman chamomile essential oil is high in esters of angelic and tiglic acid, which are known for their pain-relieving and spasmolytic action.

As a result, Roman chamomile essential oil is frequently used as as a calming agent and to relieve sore muscles. Like Blue chamomile, Roman chamomile is effective in alleviating inflammatory skin conditions such as rashes, eczema, and psoriasis.

Cape Chamomile

Cape chamomile essential oil is extracted from the cape snow flower (Eriocephalus punctulatus), which grows in South Africa. Its color is crystal blue. It’s very rare and we are one of the few essential oil companies that offer this variety.

Cape chamomile essential oil has a powerful aroma that is berry-like, sweet, floral, and very clean-smelling. It is prized in perfumery and is frequently used in aromatherapy for dealing with anxiety, stress, and headaches.

Cape Chamomile has one of my favorite aromas of all essential oils. It’s powerfully sweet with its apple-berry notes, yet it’s calming and not overpowering. It’s very high in esters which are known for their anti-anxiety and stress-relieving properties.

Cape Chamomile essential oil is very gentle and it can be applied neat to the nape of the neck for anxiety and stress relief. I and many of my friends and customers have found this method very effective.

Wild Chamomile

Wild, or Moroccan, chamomile comes from a variety of daisy (Ormenis mixta) which grows around the Mediterranean. Its main constituents include santolina alcohol (also found in yarrow essential oil) and alpha-pinene (a compound found in frankincense).

Wild chamomile essential oil has a sweet, fresh, and herbaceous aroma that is redolent of apples. It is used in aromatherapy to soothe the mind and body, help alleviate depression and anxiety, and support skin, hair, and scalp health.

The aroma of this oil is very unique. It’s not as sweet as the other varieties and the herbaceous aspect makes it very interesting.

Which one is right for you?

If you’re looking for your first chamomile oil, you’ll probably either want to get the German (Blue) or Roman chamomile, because they have the widest range of known benefits in aromatherapy.

Both will be good for alleviating aches and pains, and the decision will likely come down to which aroma you prefer: more smokey for Blue chamomile, gentler and more soothing for Roman.

If you’re looking for the most pleasing aroma and/or stress and anxiety relief, that would be our Cape Chamomile. Wild Chamomile has the most herbaceous aroma. It has a combination of the properties of the other chamomiles with an emphasis on wound healing, both physical and mental.

If you’d like to try all of our chamomiles, we offer this set, at a discounted price.

With so much love and fragrant blessings,

Hope