Calendula

Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis

Family: Asteraceae

Other Names: Pot Marigold, Golden Marigold, Gold-Bloom, Holigold.

Parts Used: Flowering tops

Energetics: Bitter, Drying and Cooling

Herbal Actions: anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmotic, astringent, anti-septic, anti-fungal, lymphatic, anti-viral, emmenagogue, diaphoretic

What do we use Calendula for?

Calendula has been used successfully for many types of skin issues, especially when inflammation is involved. It has a minor liver detoxifying effect as it stimulates the production of bile, so it treats skin conditions internally as well as externally. It is best used when conditions are hot in nature and because it's a diaphoretic, it will promote the cooling of the body when fever is present. I like to use it when the fever is caused by an inflamed condition like an infected wound as opposed to a virus, although it can be used successfully this way as well. Because of it's anti-fungal qualities, you can use calendula flowers for ring worm or athletes foot and also for yeast infections, be that in the vagina or thrush in the mouth of babes.

This plant promotes a healthy menstrual cycle by gently effecting hormone regulation and promoting bleeding. Calendula is also a lymphatic and can be taken to help release a clogged lymphatic system, along with activity. This is one of my must have plants when it comes to first aid. It can be used on many minor wounds, for inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis), chapped skin, diaper rash (I have had huge success with this), scrapes, and even treating chicken pox externally.

Calendula is wonderful for use with children. It is gentle on the system but very effective. As I said before, I have used it for diaper rash and it can be safely used in the mouth of even the smallest of infants who have contracted thrush.

Indigo helping mama harvest calendula flowers.

I am also a fan of using calendula cosmetically, it promotes elasticity and healing of the skin so it's great for stretch marks and scars. It also has detoxifying and hormone regulating effects and so it's used well for acne or other skin break outs.

How do we use Calendula?

Calendula is most often found infused in oils and made into a salve. It works so well this way because it is easy to spread on an effected area, the oil extracts a lot of the medicine and you get the added benefits of the carrier oil used. This is especially good when treating rashes or dryer inflamed conditions. Calendula is the main herbal ingredient in most general healing salves including my own "The Balm", which I use for all rashes concerning my family.

Calendula officinalis

This plant is also used as a tea, internally and externally and whole fresh flowers are used as a poultice directly on the skin. You can use this tea as a rinse for irritated eyes or as a mouth or vaginal wash (externally, I do not recommend douching) when there is an overgrowth of yeast. Calendula also makes a nice steam cosmetically for the face or for the vagina when wishing to treat something a bit more deeply. You can also add an infusion to your bath if you have a condition which effects the whole body, like chicken pox.

While less popular, you can also make a alcohol tincture of the the plant which is best when used internally for it's anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmotic, hormonal and diaphoretic effects.

Though I have no experience with this so far, I have heard of calendula being used as a yellow-orange dye and the petals of this lovely flower are also edible.

Who should use Calendula?

Anyone with acne or other skin issues, anyone experimenting with herbal cosmetics and everyone as a first aid plant.

Who should not use Calendula? Contraindications. 

As calendula effects the hormones and stimulates bleeding, it is not recommended for internal use in women who are pregnant or excessively in nursing women.

Cultivation, Harvest and Wildcrafting:


Calendula grows quickly from seed and will proliferate in your garden. It attracts beneficial insects and pollinators, but beware as it also attracts vegetable eating insects and so either use as a trap crop or with caution in a vegetable garden.

You can harvest throughout the blooming period which is pretty much all of summer and fall by clipping the flowering tops and drying or putting in oil. If left alone, the flowers will produce many seeds you can collect or allow to drop naturally in your garden.

Calendula is mainly cultivated and not wildcrafted though it can be found wild in warm climates, mostly in Europe.

In Conclusion:

As I said before, calendula makes a great first aid herb and I would not be without it in my kit. I hope that you will take this info and make a calendula creation of your own. Also try growing some this spring, in your garden or in a pot. :) Share your thoughts, ideas, recipes and questions in the comments below. Bless!

Can't wait to make your calendula oil? Here is where I get my bulk herbs!