Original information from Kobashi Official Website:
LATIN NAME: Matricaria Recutita
SOURCE: Steamed distilled from the flowers.
COLOUR: dark blue
ORIGIN: England
AROMA: deep, pungent sweet floral and nice.
QUALITIES: Ideal for stiff swollen joints and muscles. The dark blue is caused by the presence of a high concentration of chamazulene in this oil and it is for the anti- inflammatory properties of this substance that the Matricaria chamomile is most prized. I used this oil in a warm compress for earache, and found it to be very effective. In many other respect to relaxing it tends to be used for the same purposes as Anthemis Nobilis although its high price tends to encourage its use as an ingredient in skin care preparations rather than a 'stand alone' aromatherapy oil.
A member of the Compositae family, matricaria is an annual of a more erect habit than Anthemis- Roman chamomile, growing to a height of 60 cm or more and with somewhat sparser but similar feathery foliage, and daisy like flowers. The flowers are harvested in June and September and steam distilled for many hours. Matricaria oil is inky blue and somewhat viscous with a rather green almost pungent 'grassy' aroma. Steam distilled for 2.5 to 4 hours. Checked at 2.5 hrs for the amount of oil per plant charge, then at 3hrs, then every 1/4 hr till there isn’t enough oil produced against the 1/4hr running cost.
