Calendula officinalis, also known as pot marigold but not to be confused with ornamental marigold (Tagetes spp.), has a bright orange or golden flower that emits rays of happiness. In the language of flowers, calendula speaks joy. A member of the Asteraceae family, the flowers are the parts used for medicinal purposes and they are quite resinous and loaded with petals.

This is one of the easiest medicinal plants to grow from seed and will brighten up any landscape. If you honor your calendula plants by continually picking their flowers as they open, this herbal ally will keep blooming for you even past the first frosts. Indeed, the name calendula was given to the plant after the Latin word for calendar, referring to its long flowering season. I have had calendula bloom in my North Carolina mountain gardens from early April to mid-December.

To me, the taste of calendula alone is unpleasant- both slightly bitter and acrid, but others disagree. In herbal infusion mixes, however, it enhances the flavor and sweetness of tonic herbs. One of my favorite ways to ingest calendula during the winter months is by adding the dried petals to simple soups or stews. The effect is both warming and uplifting, bringing into our internal organs an herbal dose of sunshine.

Winter Calendula Stew

Ingredients:

2 quarts of vegetable stock, homemade if possible

3T olive oil

1 onion, sliced

3 carrots, chopped in small rounds

1 parsnip, diced

5 small yellow potatoes, diced

1 bunch kale, cut finely

1/3 cup dried calendula petals

garlic cloves, minced

salt/pepper to taste

Sauté onion, carrots and some of the garlic in the olive oil and 3 T of the veggie stock, until onions are almost clear. Add parsnip and potatoes and sauté two more minutes then add rest of veggie stock. Bring to boil, add salt and lower to simmer for 20 minutes. Next add kale and rest of the garlic, using your own discretion of how much garlic you want in the soup. Stir well, cook for 5 minutes, then add calendula, simmering soup for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Serve with joy on a cold winter's day~

I believe in calendula because of my own personal experiences with it, which is the best way to find out the healing properties of herbs. Spirits are lifted when I serve this stew; my child never had a diaper rash because I cleaned her daily with an infusion of calendula; my family's swollen lymph has subsided with calendula tincture; mouth ulcers I had healed rapidly from calendula gargles- these are some of the stories that affirm how appreciated calendula is in a family apothecary.



Calendula makes a wonderful vulnerary first aid medicine because it soothes pain and reduces swelling while simultaneously acting as a bacteriostatic (meaning harmful bacteria is kept away from the wound so it can heal itself). A salve, cream or infusion of the flowers can be applied to the infected or injured area. It is specific for skin ulcers, eczema and slow healing wounds. For mild burns, use a fresh calendula poultice or compress to support the area. When used timely, calendula can prevent the visibility of scar tissue.

Used in formulas or alone, calendula will relieve and heal internal or external irritations. It is certainly a great friend of skin because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and alterative properties. Sore and cracked nipples respond to attention from calendula and can also cure pink eye. Internal ulcers related to digestive stress, spleen issues and inflamed mucous membranes are subject to disappearance when the grand calendula keeps showing up at their door. Try using the essential oil for acne or add it to the bath to relieve your nerves.

Like a daisy chain, calendula flowers are fun to thread- a simple gift you can crown someone with to brighten them from the inside out. See how many calendula flowers you can gather next growing season and play with all the amazing things you can do with them!