German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Matricaria chamomilla, commonly called German chamomile and also known as Hungarian chamomile, wild chamomile, blue chamomile or scented mayweed, is an annual plant of the daisy family Asteraceae, native to southern and eastern Europe but now found on every continent. The plant grows a branched, erect, smooth stem fifteen to sixty centimeters tall and bears flower heads with white ray florets surrounding a yellow disc, distinguished from related species by a hollow receptacle lacking scales. It has been used since ancient times, chiefly brewed as a tea, and remains one of the more widely consumed herbal infusions today, though modern evidence for its effectiveness is limited, and it may carry mild side effects or drug interactions, including cross-reactivity with ragweed pollen in people who are sensitive to it.