CHAMOMILE SEEDS

Chamomile is an annual, wild plant spread all over the world.

Chamomile seeds are germinating for two to three years, if properly stored, and once sown in the soil, remain germinating for more than ten years. With sufficient presence of light and moisture, the seeds germinate already on the fifth day after sowing. In the continental part of the Republic of Croatia, sowing can be done until February at the latest, and the optimal autumn dates are from mid-September to the end of October. The first sowing date is the end of September, and the last is the beginning of November. If there is a proper distribution of rainfall in autumn, satisfactory effects are achieved with extended sowing periods. In extremely dry autumns, crops sprout faster and grow more uniformly if sowing is done at a later date. Chamomile seeds germinate only if there is enough light, so they are sown horizontally on the surface. Sowing should not be done in strong winds.

Chamomile is cultivated for its flowers, pulvis and essential oil. The flower is used in medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent for skin and mucous membranes and for the treatment of burns and wounds, pulvis in the production of tea and extracts, while the essential oil is used in medicine, pharmacy, cosmetics and the chemical industry.