If you want to order chamomile tea in a Spanish-speaking café, shop for it in a market, or read the ingredient list on a Spanish tea box, the word you are most likely to need is:
manzanilla
A cup of chamomile tea may be described as infusión de manzanilla, while the more conversational té de manzanilla is also widely understandable.
But manzanilla is a more interesting word than it first appears. It can refer to more than one chamomile species, and in Spain the word can also refer to an entirely different product: Manzanilla, the dry white wine associated with Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
That means context—and sometimes the botanical name—matters.
This guide explains what manzanilla means, how to pronounce and use the word, the difference between German and Roman chamomile, how to ask for chamomile in Spanish, what you may see on tea labels, and how to avoid some common naming confusion.
🌼 Chamomile in Spanish at a Glance
English: Chamomile
Spanish: Manzanilla
Another name you may encounter: Camomila
German chamomile: Matricaria chamomilla
Another scientific name often used: Matricaria recutita
Roman chamomile: Chamaemelum nobile
Chamomile tea: Infusión de manzanilla
Everyday alternative: Té de manzanilla
Caffeine: Naturally caffeine-free when made only from chamomile
Important: The word manzanilla can also refer to a Spanish wine and to several plants with similar common names.
🗣️ What Is Chamomile Called in Spanish?
The most useful word to remember is:
manzanilla
If you want chamomile tea, you can ask for:
una infusión de manzanilla
which means:
a chamomile infusion
You will also commonly be understood if you say:
té de manzanilla
or simply:
una manzanilla
when the context makes it clear that you are talking about an herbal drink.
🗣️ How Do You Pronounce “Manzanilla”?
For many Spanish speakers, an approximate English-friendly pronunciation is:
mahn-sah-NEE-yah
The stress falls on:
NI
The ll sound varies by region. In many dialects it sounds something like the English y in yes, while other Spanish accents pronounce it differently.
You do not need perfect regional pronunciation to be understood.
📖 What Does “Manzanilla” Mean?
In botanical and everyday herbal contexts, manzanilla refers to chamomile or chamomile-like plants used to make fragrant herbal infusions.
The name appears in numerous Spanish plant names, including:
- Manzanilla común
- Manzanilla dulce
- Manzanilla alemana
- Manzanilla romana
- Manzanilla de Castilla
- Manzanilla fina
The problem is that common plant names do not always correspond neatly to one botanical species.
That is why botanical names become useful.
🌼 German Chamomile: Matricaria chamomilla
One of the main chamomile species used for herbal tea is:
Matricaria chamomilla
It is commonly known in English as:
German chamomile
You may also encounter the scientific name:
Matricaria recutita
particularly in older references, herbal monographs, and product literature.
Spanish vernacular names recorded for this plant include forms such as:
- Manzanilla
- Manzanilla común
- Manzanilla dulce
- Manzanilla alemana
- Manzanilla de Castilla
This is one of the principal species readers are likely to encounter in commercial chamomile tea.
🌼 Why Do You See Two Scientific Names?
Chamomile taxonomy has changed over time, which is why both:
Matricaria chamomilla
and:
Matricaria recutita
appear in reliable sources.
Kew’s Plants of the World Online accepts Matricaria chamomilla, while European medicinal-herb documents have commonly used Matricaria recutita.
If your tea package lists either of those names in a chamomile context, it may be referring to the familiar German chamomile used for herbal preparations.
🌿 Roman Chamomile: Chamaemelum nobile
Another plant called chamomile is:
Chamaemelum nobile
commonly known as:
Roman chamomile
In Spanish you may encounter:
manzanilla romana
Roman chamomile and German chamomile belong to the same broad daisy family, Asteraceae, but they are different species.
Both have aromatic flower heads and long histories of culinary or herbal use.
🌼 German Chamomile vs. Roman Chamomile
The two are often grouped under the general word “chamomile,” but they are botanically distinct.
German Chamomile
Botanical name: Matricaria chamomilla
Also called: Matricaria recutita
Spanish: manzanilla, manzanilla común, manzanilla alemana and other regional names
Roman Chamomile
Botanical name: Chamaemelum nobile
Spanish: manzanilla romana
Both can appear in herbal preparations, so checking the botanical name is useful if you want a particular species.
🌱 Does “Manzanilla” Always Mean the Same Plant?
No.
This is one of the most important things to understand about plant names.
Spanish botanical sources document manzanilla as a common name for several plants, particularly members of the daisy family that resemble or have historically been used like chamomile.
You may encounter names such as:
- Manzanilla silvestre
- Manzanilla loca
- Manzanilla amarga
- Manzanilla bastarda
- Manzanilla romana
These do not necessarily identify the same species.
If you’re buying tea from a reputable commercial supplier, the ingredient label is usually more useful than the common name alone.
🔬 Look for the Botanical Name
If precise identification matters, look for:
Matricaria chamomilla
or:
Chamaemelum nobile
depending on the chamomile you want.
A label might say:
Ingredientes: 100% flores de manzanilla (Matricaria chamomilla)
That means:
Ingredients: 100% chamomile flowers.
Botanical names remove much of the ambiguity that comes with regional common names.
🌼 What Does “Flor de Manzanilla” Mean?
Flor de manzanilla means:
chamomile flower
or:
chamomile flowers
The flower heads are the part most commonly used to make chamomile infusion.
A loose herbal tea package might be labeled:
flores de manzanilla
or:
flor de manzanilla
depending on the packaging and manufacturer.
🫖 How Do You Say “Chamomile Tea” in Spanish?
The most precise phrase is:
infusión de manzanilla
because chamomile is technically an herbal infusion rather than true tea.
You can also say:
té de manzanilla
and be readily understood in everyday conversation.
🍵 Why “Infusión” Is More Precise Than “Té”
Botanically, true tea comes from:
Camellia sinensis
That plant produces:
- Black tea
- Green tea
- White tea
- Oolong
- Pu-erh
Chamomile comes from an entirely different plant family.
So a chamomile drink is technically an:
infusión
rather than a true té.
Everyday language is less strict, though, so phrases such as té de manzanilla are not surprising.
🛒 How to Ask for Chamomile in a Spanish-Speaking Shop
Useful phrases include:
¿Tiene manzanilla?
Do you have chamomile?
Busco flores de manzanilla para infusión.
I’m looking for chamomile flowers for tea.
¿Tiene manzanilla seca?
Do you have dried chamomile?
Quisiera una infusión de manzanilla.
I’d like a chamomile infusion.
¿Qué tipo de manzanilla es?
What kind of chamomile is it?
If you want to check the species:
¿Es Matricaria chamomilla?
Is it Matricaria chamomilla?
☕ How to Order Chamomile Tea in a Café
A simple phrase is:
Una infusión de manzanilla, por favor.
That means:
A chamomile infusion, please.
You could also ask:
¿Tiene té de manzanilla?
“Do you have chamomile tea?”
In a café setting, there is little reason to worry about the botanical distinction between té and infusión. Both are easily understood.
⚡ How to Ask if Chamomile Has Caffeine
Ask:
¿Tiene cafeína?
“Does it have caffeine?”
Or:
¿Es una infusión sin cafeína?
“Is it a caffeine-free infusion?”
Pure chamomile itself is naturally caffeine-free.
A blend may be different.
☕ Does Manzanilla Tea Have Caffeine?
Pure chamomile contains no natural caffeine.
A simple infusion made from:
chamomile flowers + water
is therefore caffeine-free.
However, a commercial blend might also contain:
- Green tea
- Black tea
- White tea
- Yerba mate
so check the ingredients if avoiding caffeine is important.
For a complete discussion, see our Chamomile Tea Guide: Benefits, Brewing, Caffeine & Safety.
🍯 How Do You Say “Chamomile Tea With Honey”?
You can say:
infusión de manzanilla con miel
which means:
chamomile infusion with honey
or:
té de manzanilla con miel
Chamomile and honey pair naturally because the flowers already have a soft floral sweetness.
🍋 Chamomile Tea With Lemon
For chamomile with lemon:
infusión de manzanilla con limón
or:
manzanilla con limón
Fresh lemon makes the cup brighter and more citrusy.
🫖 How to Make a Simple Chamomile Infusion
For one mug, use:
- 1–2 teaspoons dried chamomile flowers
- 8–10 ounces hot water
- Honey, optional
- Lemon, optional
Place the flowers in a tea infuser.
Pour over hot water.
Cover and steep for:
5–7 minutes.
Strain.
Taste before adding honey or lemon.
🇪🇸 What Might You See on a Spanish Tea Label?
Possible terms include:
Manzanilla
Chamomile
Flor de manzanilla
Chamomile flower
Flores de manzanilla
Chamomile flowers
Infusión de manzanilla
Chamomile infusion
Ingredientes
Ingredients
Modo de preparación
Preparation directions
Tiempo de infusión
Steeping time
Sin cafeína
Caffeine-free
Ecológico / ecológica
Organic, particularly common in Spain and EU labeling
🌿 What About the Word “Camomila”?
You may also encounter:
camomila
or closely related regional spellings.
Botanical and ethnobotanical sources record camomila as a vernacular name for several chamomile species.
So if you encounter camomila on a plant list or herbal reference, the word may also be referring to chamomile.
However, manzanilla is the word particularly useful to recognize when ordering or shopping for the herbal infusion in Spanish.
🍎 Why Is It Called “Manzanilla”?
The word is closely related to:
manzana
meaning:
apple
Manzanilla can be understood as a diminutive form associated with a “little apple.”
That makes sense when you smell chamomile.
Chamomile flowers are often described as having a mild:
- Apple-like
- Floral
- Honey-like
aroma.
The apple association is one of the distinctive characteristics traditionally associated with chamomile.
🌼 What Does Chamomile Taste Like?
Chamomile is generally:
- Floral
- Mild
- Slightly sweet
- Herbal
- Apple-like
- Honey-like
It can also have a slightly earthy or hay-like quality.
Brewing it extremely strong may bring out more bitterness.
For most cups, five to seven minutes is a good place to start.
🌙 Is Manzanilla Considered a Bedtime Tea?
Chamomile is widely associated with evening tea and relaxation.
Part of its usefulness as a nighttime beverage is straightforward:
pure chamomile contains no caffeine.
Chamomile has also been studied for sleep and anxiety-related outcomes, but the clinical evidence is more nuanced than advertising sometimes suggests.
A cup of chamomile should not automatically be described as a treatment for chronic insomnia.
For the evidence and safety considerations, see our Chamomile Tea Guide: Benefits, Brewing, Caffeine & Safety.
🌿 Traditional Use vs. Proven Treatment
Chamomile has a long history of herbal use, including preparations for digestive discomfort, mouth and throat irritation, minor skin problems, and other traditional purposes.
European herbal authorities recognize several traditional medicinal uses for preparations of Matricaria flower.
But:
traditional use does not mean every cup of chamomile tea has been proven to treat those conditions.
The form of the herb, dose, preparation, and clinical evidence all matter.
That detailed health discussion belongs on the main chamomile guide rather than on this language page.
⚠️ Chamomile Allergies
Chamomile belongs to the:
Asteraceae
or daisy family.
That family also includes plants such as:
- Ragweed
- Chrysanthemums
- Marigolds
- Daisies
People with allergies to related plants may be more likely to experience an allergic reaction to chamomile.
This is one reason “natural tea” should not automatically be treated as risk-free.
🌼 Manzanilla vs. Margarita
Do not confuse:
manzanilla
with:
margarita
In Spanish, margarita commonly refers to a daisy and is also a familiar personal name—not to mention the cocktail.
Chamomile flowers resemble tiny daisies, but manzanilla is the word you want for chamomile tea.
🍷 Manzanilla Can Also Mean Wine
This is one of the most interesting sources of confusion.
In Spain, Manzanilla can also refer to a dry white wine produced under the protected designation:
Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda
It is produced from Palomino grapes and aged under a layer of yeast known as flor in Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Cádiz.
That Manzanilla is wine.
It is not chamomile tea.
🍷 How Do You Know Which “Manzanilla” Someone Means?
Context usually makes it obvious.
If someone says:
una infusión de manzanilla
they mean chamomile.
If someone is discussing:
- Bodegas
- Sherry
- Palomino grapes
- Sanlúcar de Barrameda
- Wine pairing
then Manzanilla probably means the wine.
If you’re uncertain in a restaurant, ask.
🍷 Does Manzanilla Wine Contain Chamomile?
No.
Despite the shared name and the fact that official tasting descriptions sometimes compare some of Manzanilla wine’s aromas to chamomile, the wine is not made from chamomile flowers.
The regulatory council describes Manzanilla as a dry white wine made from the Palomino grape and aged under flor in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
So:
Manzanilla tea = herbal infusion
while:
Manzanilla wine = alcoholic wine
They are completely different beverages.
🫒 “Manzanilla” Can Also Appear With Olives
The word manzanilla also appears in the names of certain olive varieties.
So in Spanish culinary contexts, manzanilla can potentially refer to:
- Chamomile
- Manzanilla wine
- A variety of olive
Again, context does most of the work.
If someone asks whether you want a cup of manzanilla, they probably are not offering you an olive.
🌎 Is Manzanilla Used Throughout the Spanish-Speaking World?
The word is widely recognized, but regional plant vocabulary can vary significantly.
Spanish is spoken across many countries, each with:
- Local plant species
- Regional naming traditions
- Indigenous-language influences
- Different herbal markets
So it would be misleading to claim that every community uses exactly the same plant names.
Botanical names provide precision when local names become ambiguous.
🌿 Why Botanical Names Matter
Imagine you purchase something called:
manzanilla silvestre
“wild chamomile.”
That common name could potentially refer to a different species from the German chamomile you expected.
If the package says:
Matricaria chamomilla
you know much more precisely what you’re buying.
For Roman chamomile, look for:
Chamaemelum nobile.
🌼 Manzanilla Alemana
You may encounter:
manzanilla alemana
meaning:
German chamomile
This generally points toward the Matricaria type of chamomile.
The botanical name remains the best confirmation:
Matricaria chamomilla
or the synonym:
Matricaria recutita.
🌼 Manzanilla Romana
Manzanilla romana means:
Roman chamomile
The botanical name is:
Chamaemelum nobile.
This is a separate species from German chamomile.
🛒 Buying Chamomile at a Market
If you are buying loose dried chamomile, ask:
¿Tiene flores de manzanilla?
If the seller has several chamomile-like herbs, you could ask:
¿Qué especie de manzanilla es?
“What species of chamomile is it?”
Or more specifically:
¿Es Matricaria chamomilla?
That may be especially useful if you’re buying dried botanical material for a specific purpose.
🪴 Buying a Chamomile Plant
At a nursery, you may want either German or Roman chamomile.
Ask for:
manzanilla alemana
or:
manzanilla romana
but also check the plant tag.
Look for:
Matricaria chamomilla
or:
Chamaemelum nobile.
This helps prevent confusion with unrelated plants that share similar common names.
🌱 Can You Grow Manzanilla?
Yes.
Chamomile is grown as both:
- A garden herb
- A flowering plant
German chamomile is generally an annual.
Roman chamomile is a perennial.
Both can produce the small daisy-like flowers associated with chamomile.
The flowers can be harvested and dried for tea when the plant has been correctly identified and grown appropriately for culinary use.
🌼 Which Part of Chamomile Is Used for Tea?
The flower heads are the primary part used.
A quality loose-leaf chamomile tea often looks like a collection of tiny yellow-and-white flower heads rather than traditional tea leaves.
That is why Spanish packages often emphasize:
flor
or:
flores de manzanilla.
🫖 Can You Make Chamomile Tea From Fresh Flowers?
Yes, provided they come from a correctly identified culinary plant that has not been treated with unsuitable chemicals.
Fresh flowers usually require a larger volume than dried flowers because they contain more water.
The flavor can be especially fresh and delicate.
🧊 Iced Manzanilla
Chamomile can also be served cold.
Prepare a stronger infusion, allow it to cool, and serve over ice.
Good additions include:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Honey
- Apple slices
- Berries
In Spanish, you could describe it as:
infusión fría de manzanilla
or:
manzanilla con hielo.
🍎 Chamomile & Apple
Because chamomile already has an apple-like aroma, fresh apple is a particularly natural pairing.
Add a few thin apple slices while the tea steeps.
For a warmer flavor, add a small piece of cinnamon.
🍯 Chamomile & Honey
For one mug, add:
1 teaspoon honey
after steeping.
In Spanish:
manzanilla con miel
This is one of the simplest ways to soften any natural bitterness in a strong cup.
🍋 Chamomile & Lemon
Add a thin lemon slice after brewing.
In Spanish:
manzanilla con limón
Use lemon sparingly if you want to preserve chamomile’s delicate floral flavor.
🌿 Chamomile & Lemon Balm
Chamomile and lemon balm work particularly well together.
Chamomile contributes floral and apple-like notes.
Lemon balm contributes:
- Gentle citrus
- Fresh green flavor
Both are naturally caffeine-free.
See our Lemon Balm Tea Guide: Benefits, Caffeine, Brewing & Safety for more about lemon balm.
✈️ Useful Spanish Phrases for Tea Travelers
These are helpful in cafés, markets, herbal shops, and grocery stores:
Una infusión de manzanilla, por favor.
A chamomile infusion, please.
¿Tiene té de manzanilla?
Do you have chamomile tea?
¿Tiene flores de manzanilla?
Do you have chamomile flowers?
¿Es manzanilla alemana o romana?
Is it German or Roman chamomile?
¿Qué ingredientes tiene?
What ingredients does it contain?
¿Tiene cafeína?
Does it contain caffeine?
¿Es solo manzanilla?
Is it only chamomile?
¿Cuánto tiempo se deja en infusión?
How long should it steep?
¿Es Matricaria chamomilla?
Is it Matricaria chamomilla?
🫖 A Simple Chamomile Recipe in Spanish
A basic recipe might be written like this:
Ingredientes:
- 1–2 cucharaditas de flores secas de manzanilla
- 250 ml de agua caliente
- Miel al gusto, opcional
Preparación:
Coloca las flores de manzanilla en una taza o infusor.
Añade el agua caliente.
Tapa la taza.
Deja reposar durante:
5–7 minutos.
Cuela la infusión.
Añade miel si lo deseas.
That is simply a standard cup of chamomile tea.
🌎 Manzanilla Is a Useful Word With Several Meanings
Learning the Spanish word for chamomile seems simple:
manzanilla.
And for everyday tea ordering, it usually is.
But the word becomes more interesting once you look a little closer.
Manzanilla can refer to German chamomile, Roman chamomile, and several other plants with chamomile-like common names.
In a Spanish wine context, Manzanilla refers to the protected dry white wine of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
In an olive context, it may refer to an olive variety.
And when precise botanical identification matters, manzanilla alone may not tell you everything you need to know.
Fortunately, the practical rules are easy.
For a cup of chamomile tea, ask for:
una infusión de manzanilla.
For a package of dried flowers, check for:
Matricaria chamomilla
or another clearly identified chamomile species.
And if someone in Sanlúcar offers you a glass of Manzanilla, take a look at the setting before assuming you’re getting herbal tea.
🔗 Related Articles
- Chamomile Tea Guide: Benefits, Brewing, Caffeine & Safety
- Chamomile Tea
- Herbal Tea
- 5 Herbal Tea Recipes: Chamomile, Peppermint, Ginger, Lavender & More
- Lemon Balm Tea Guide: Benefits, Caffeine, Brewing & Safety
- Tea Culture & Regions
- Tea Recipes
- How to Brew Tea
📚 Sources & Further Reading
- Real Academia Española — Manzanilla
- Kew Science — Matricaria chamomilla
- Kew Science — Chamaemelum nobile
- European Medicines Agency — Matricaria Flower
- Consejo Regulador de Jerez — Manzanilla
- Consejo Regulador de Jerez — Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda Denomination of Origin
