What Part of Chamomile Do You Use to Make Tea? A Guide to Brewing

December 17, 2025 •

3 min read

Over centuries, chamomile has been used for its medicinal properties, and unlike many herbal teas, which rely on leaves, chamomile tea is famously brewed from its daisy-like blossoms. Understanding what part of chamomile do you use to make tea is key to achieving the beverage's signature sweet and aromatic flavor.

Quick Summary

Chamomile tea is made exclusively from the flower heads of the plant, containing beneficial compounds and volatile oils. Harvesting just the blossoms avoids the bitter taste that comes from using stems and leaves. The flowers are used either fresh or dried for brewing.

Key Points

Flower Heads Only: For the best flavor and medicinal properties, use only the chamomile plant's flower heads for tea.
Harvest for Potency: Harvest flowers when they are in full bloom, ideally in the late morning after the dew has evaporated.
Avoid Bitterness: Steer clear of using stems and leaves, which can impart a bitter flavor to your brew.
Fresh vs. Dried: While fresh flowers offer a crisper, apple-like flavor, dried flowers provide a more concentrated, potent brew.
Two Common Types: Most chamomile tea is made from either German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) or Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile).
Store Properly: Store dried chamomile flowers in an airtight container away from light to maintain their flavor and potency.

The Core Ingredient: The Chamomile Flower

For centuries, herbalists and tea drinkers have prized the chamomile plant for its calming and soothing properties. But the secret to a great cup lies in selecting the correct part of the plant: the flower head. While the entire chamomile plant has some medicinal value, the flowers contain the highest concentration of the beneficial compounds and volatile oils responsible for the tea's floral, apple-like aroma and flavor profile.

Chamomile belongs to the Asteraceae family, and the two most common varieties used for tea are German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). In both species, the yellow central disk florets and the white ray petals are the parts harvested for tea. The green stems and leaves, if included, can impart an unpleasant bitterness that detracts from the tea's delicate taste.

Why Only the Flowers?

Using only the flowers for tea is a tradition based on maximizing flavor and efficacy. The compounds apigenin and chamazulene, which provide many of chamomile’s relaxing and anti-inflammatory benefits, are found most abundantly within the flower heads. By focusing the harvest on just the blossoms, you ensure a potent, high-quality tea free from unwanted grassy or bitter notes.

How to Harvest and Prepare Chamomile

Harvesting chamomile at home is a simple process that anyone can do to ensure a fresh, flavorful brew. For the best results, harvest the flowers in the late morning, after the dew has dried but before the midday sun has become too intense. This timing helps preserve the plant’s volatile oils.

Harvesting the blossoms:

Method 1 (Finger Plucking): Gently pinch the flower head off the stem with your thumb and forefinger, right beneath the base.
Method 2 (Combing): For a large harvest, run your fingers through a cluster of flowers like a comb, pulling the heads free from the stems.

Drying and storing:

Air-drying: Spread the fresh flowers in a single layer on a mesh tray or a screen in a warm, dry area with good airflow, away from direct sunlight. Turn them daily and wait for them to become dry and brittle, which typically takes 1-2 weeks.
Using a dehydrator: For a faster method, use a dehydrator on its lowest setting (around 95°F or 35°C) for 12 to 18 hours.
Storage: Once fully dried, store the blossoms in an airtight glass jar away from direct heat and light. They will retain their potency for up to a year.

Fresh vs. Dried Chamomile: A Comparison

Making tea with fresh flowers provides a different experience than with dried flowers. Here’s a quick comparison:


Feature	Fresh Chamomile Tea	Dried Chamomile Tea
Quantity	6-8 teaspoons per 1 cup of water.	1-2 teaspoons per 1 cup of water.
Flavor Profile	Often described as having a brighter, crisper flavor with apple undertones.	A more concentrated, classic sweet and floral flavor. May turn bitter if over-steeped.
Storage	Best used immediately after harvesting.	Can be stored for up to a year without significant flavor loss.
Convenience	Requires harvesting and preparation each time.	Ready-to-use, either loose-leaf or in tea bags.
Potency	Slightly less potent due to water content but offers a unique, nuanced flavor.	More potent and concentrated in flavor and medicinal compounds.

The Brewing Process

Whether you use fresh or dried flowers, the brewing process is straightforward. First, boil water and then let it cool slightly (just below boiling is best to preserve delicate compounds). Place the flowers in an infuser, teapot, or French press, pour the hot water over them, and let steep. For dried chamomile, 5-7 minutes is a common steeping time, while fresh flowers may need slightly longer, around 5-10 minutes, for full flavor extraction. If using dried blossoms, avoid over-steeping to prevent bitterness. Strain and enjoy. A touch of honey or a squeeze of lemon can complement the flavor beautifully.

Conclusion

When it comes to answering the question, "what part of chamomile do you use to make tea?", the clear answer is the flower head. Whether using fresh or dried, harvesting only the blossoms ensures a tea with the classic, soothing flavor and aromatic qualities that have made it a beloved beverage for centuries. While other parts of the plant are edible, they can compromise the taste profile. By focusing on the daisy-like flowers, you are following ancient tradition and creating a brew that is both delicious and potently calming. For more information on the botanical aspects and uses, consult authoritative sources like the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

Frequently Asked Questions

While chamomile leaves are edible, they are not typically used for tea, as they can impart a grassy, bitter flavor that is less pleasant than the delicate floral taste from the blossoms.

To harvest, pinch or pluck the entire flower head from the stem when the flower is in full bloom. It is best to do this in the late morning after the dew has dried.

Both fresh and dried chamomile flowers can be used. Fresh flowers produce a tea with a brighter, apple-like undertone, while dried flowers result in a more classic and concentrated floral flavor.

Spread the blossoms in a single layer on a mesh screen or clean tray in a warm, dry area with good air circulation. Once dry and brittle, store them in an airtight glass jar for up to a year.

For dried chamomile, a steeping time of 5-7 minutes is recommended. For fresh flowers, a slightly longer steep of 5-10 minutes may be needed to achieve the desired strength. Too long a steep can cause bitterness.

The two primary varieties are German chamomile (Matricaria recutita), an annual, and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), a perennial.

Yes, many commercial chamomile tea bags contain dried, crushed chamomile flowers. However, loose, whole dried flowers are often preferred for their superior flavor and higher concentration of essential oils.