Roman vs German Chamomile Oil
Roman and German chamomile oil come from different plants with different chemistry. What sources document, what they do not, and why daisy-family allergy applies to both.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read essential oil safety before you use anything on this page.
Safety first. Both chamomiles belong to the daisy family. NCCIH says people are more likely to react to chamomile if they are allergic to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies. [1] The EMA says chamomile flower medicines must not be used by people allergic to matricaria flowers or other plants of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. [2] Those documents describe the flower and its medicines, not the distilled oil, so they show the type of reaction to watch for rather than how common it is with the oil. Essential oils are not for swallowing. If anyone swallows one, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US), or 911 for collapse, a seizure or trouble breathing.
Names and look-alike traps
| Roman chamomile | German chamomile | |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted name (GBIF) | Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. [4] | Matricaria chamomilla L. [5] |
| Other names in sources | Anthemis nobilis L. [6] | Matricaria recutita L. (the EMA's name) [2] |
| Plant part in EMA listings | Flowers (the EMA lists the flower as the herbal substance) [6] | Flowers (the EMA lists the flower heads) [2] |
| Chemistry, per a 2026 review | An ester-rich essential oil profile. [3] | Rich in alpha-bisabolol and matricin-derived chamazulene. [3] |
| Documentation | NCCIH's fact sheet focuses on German chamomile. [1] The EMA's Roman chamomile page said in our read that the agency is currently developing its information. [6] | Better characterised: the same review says German chamomile is more extensively characterised. [3] |
A study comparing the two plants found that the terpenoid content in the flowers of German chamomile is greater than that of Roman chamomile, and described the plants as morphologically distinguishable. [7] A bottle, however, cannot be told apart by looking. Researchers have built chemical-fingerprint (GC/MS) tests to classify chamomile flowers, essential oils and commercial products, including 11 essential oils purported to contain chamomile. [8] Poison Control notes that it can be hard to know exactly what is in an essential oil bottle. [9] Check the botanical name on the label (how to read a label).
Traditional use and research are separate
Traditional use only. The sources we read describe traditional use of chamomile flower preparations. The EU herbal committee accepted matricaria flower medicines for minor stomach and gut complaints, colds and mouth, skin and throat irritations on the basis of long-standing use, not clinical trials. [2] That is not proof, and it is not about the distilled oil.Research (insufficient evidence for the oil, by species). NCCIH says studies of chamomile have not produced sufficient reliable evidence to rate clinical usefulness. [1] The inhaled-oil trials we read do not report which species they used. For example, lavender and chamomile oils were inhaled by 183 older adults, and the abstract names no species. [10] Proper evidence not found for any trial comparing Roman against German chamomile oil in people (searched: PubMed, NCCIH, EMA, 2026-10-23).
Where to go next
The single-oil guide is Chamomile oil (Roman and German). The plant is covered in Chamomile (herb) and the tea in Chamomile tea.Frequently asked questions
Are Roman and German chamomile oil the same?
No. They come from different plants, Chamaemelum nobile and Matricaria chamomilla. [4] [5] A 2026 review says they differ in chemistry and should not be treated as interchangeable. [3]
Which one is better for anxiety?
Not shown. We found no trial comparing the two oils, and trial abstracts we read do not name the species. [10]
Which one is milder on skin?
Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. Both are in the daisy family, so people allergic to related plants should ask a clinician first. [1]
How can I tell which chamomile oil I have?
The label's botanical name is the first clue. Laboratory GC/MS testing can distinguish chamomile types, but that is a lab method, not a home check. [8]
Is either oil safe to swallow?
No advice to swallow essential oils is given here. Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US) if someone has swallowed one.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety, applies to both unless noted
- Skin and allergy. Treat both as possible allergens for people sensitive to the daisy family. See essential oil skin reactions and patch testing.
- Medicines. NCCIH says interactions between chamomile and some drugs metabolized by the liver and warfarin have been reported. [1] That fact sheet covers German chamomile as a herb; whether Roman chamomile oil behaves the same is not described in the sources we read. Ask a pharmacist (how interactions work).
- Hormone-sensitive conditions. NCCIH says chamomile might have some of the same effects as estrogen. [1] Not described for the oils separately.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. NCCIH says little is known. [1]
- Surgery, liver, kidney, children: not described for the oils in the sources we read. Tell the surgical team about any oil use.
- Cross-reaction. Whether an allergy to one chamomile means a reaction to the other is not described in the sources we read; ask an allergy clinician.
References
- NCCIH, Chamomile (updated November 2024). Read 2026-10-23.
- EMA, Matricaria flower summary (2016). Read 2026-10-23.
- Nutrients 2026: German and Roman chamomile, species-specific phytochemical profiles. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Backbone, Chamaemelum nobile. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Backbone, Matricaria chamomilla. Read 2026-10-23.
- EMA, Roman chamomile flower herbal medicinal product page. Read 2026-10-23.
- BMC Genomics 2020: Phytochemical and comparative transcriptome analyses of Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile. Read 2026-10-23.
- Food Chemistry 2014: Chemometrics and GC/MS for classification of chamomile flowers, essential oils and commercial products. Read 2026-10-23.
- Poison Control, Essential oils: Poisonous when misused. Read 2026-10-23.
- Explore 2022: Lavender and chamomile essential oil inhalation aromatherapy in older community-dwelling people. Read 2026-10-23.