Summer is on and there is nothing like a garden full of bright warm blossoms, just like my favourite gorgeous Calendula! Come with me on this blog to discover who is that orange fairy, what is her magic, and what is the wisdom she came down here to teach us...
WHO ARE YOU? Calendula (Calendula officinalis, Asteraceae) is one of the easiest herbs to grow and a highly versatile medicinal plant—naturally, it finds its way into the hearts and gardens of all herb lovers. It has been used for centuries, both internally and topically, to heal wounds, burns, and rashes. The sunshiny flowers are a traditional remedy for supporting the immune system and lifting the spirits. If that weren’t enough, the edible ray florets of the flower heads (which look like yellow petals) are bursting with antioxidant compounds.
Calendula’s name derives from the Latin calendae, referring to its long blooming season—in certain locales it is said to bloom nearly every month of the calendar year. The species name, officinalis, refers to its historical use in apothecaries and pharmacopeias as the official medicinal species of its genus.
Calendula is also called marigold and pot marigold, leading to confusion with members of the genus Tagetes, which go by the same common name but are not medicinally interchangeable!
For all medicinal preparations, be sure that you use the whole dried flowers, as the medicinal oils are found mostly in the resinous green bases of the flower heads. Also take care that the dried petals are bright yellow or orange, which is another indication of quality and freshness. Sometimes calendula is sold as petals only, but this is weaker medicine.
GROWING & HARVESTING YOU...
Growing calendula from seed is easy-peasy, even for the brownest of thumbs. I sow -the prehistoric!-looking seeds directly in the ground in mid-spring; germination takes five to fourteen days. Alternately, if your spring weather is chilly, plant seeds out in trays and transplant the starts when the days warm up.
Calendula will thrive in just about any soil, but like most plants, it prefers to have soil that is not overly dry or wet (non-draining). It’s typically grown as an annual, and it will flower more profusely in full sun but can tolerate a little shade. If you live in the subtropics or tropics, try planting it in part shade, or plant it in the fall (it will thrive throughout the winter in warm climates).
There are countless varieties of calendula, with many shades of sunset: orange, yellow, and russet. There are multi-petaled varieties for extra garden bling (and edible petals!). One of my current favorites is ‘alpha,’ a variety with plenty of resin and mixed double yellow and orange petals. You can use any of the Calendula officinalis cultivars as food or medicine, although the yellow and orange varieties are more common in medicinal preparations. Let the aroma and stickiness of the flowers guide you in finding your personal favorite types of calendula.
The flowers need to be picked every two to three days (not a mere harvest!) to promote and prolong the plant’s flowering season. If you let the plants go to seed, they will stop making new flowers. As I'm picking, I deadhead the flowers that have started to go to seed. These overripe blooms have petals sticking up at odd angles or petals that have already fallen off the plant, and the green seeds will be developing. I give these far-gone flowers back to the earth, forgoing them as medicine.
Pick the flowers in the heat of the day when the dew has evaporated and the flowers are looking perky. When you pick calendula, your fingers will be sticky from the resinous bracts, which form the green base of the flower head. Dry on screens or airy baskets in a well-ventilated, warm & shaded area. “Schuffle” the flowers often (that's my moment of bliss & gratitude!).
Be sure the entire flower head is dry before you put up your harvest. The petals will be completely dried and crunchy and the green base of the flower head will be pliable when you break it open, but it shouldn’t be overly moist. Depending on your climate and drying setup, it may take a week to ten days to properly dry calendula.
YOUR MEDICINAL POWER SOOTHES ME...
Calendula is the crown jewel of herbal skincare because it is soothing for a range of problems. From rashes to burns to bug bites and even scarring -- calendula is a heal-all herb. And it's totally safe for babies, the elderly, and everyone in between.
You can bring calendula's healing properties into your everyday life by making this incredibly simple herb-infused lotion I will share with you here ;-)
**CALENDULA LOTION RECIPE**
Calendula lotion is a magical mixture of calendula-infused oil and calendula tea!
Start by preparing the calendula-infused oil with these (organic please!) ingredients:
· 1/2 cup dried calendula flowers
· 1/2 cup olive oil (I use local, first pressed)
· 1/4 cup coconut oil
· 1/4 cup shea butter
Here's how to make it:
1. Melt the coconut oil and shea butter
2. Add in the sunflower oil
3. Sprinkle in the calendula flowers and stir the mixture
4. Warm over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes
5. Strain out the petals
6. Put the oil into the freezer and allow it to harden
Then make a strong calendula tea with these ingredients:
· 1/2 cup dried calendula flowers
· 2 cups of water
Here's how to make it:
1. Cover the calendula flowers with the water and stir
2. Warm over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes
3. Strain out the petals
Then the magic happens!
1. Spoon the hardened calendula-infused oil into a blender
2. Turn the blender on high
3. Slowly add in the calendula tea
4. Blend on the highest setting until the tea water and oil coagulate
5. Bottle the mixture and keep it in the fridge
FIND MamaSeed's Calendula & Chamomile Soothing Salve >> here << very suitable for children and babies, we use this infused oil as part of our Nipple Cream formula in our postpartum Nurturing Life line.
Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, infused oil, salve, broth, compress, poultice, vaginal douches and suppositories, sitz baths.
Herbal Actions:
Anti-inflammatory
Lymphagogue
Vulnerary (promotes wound healing)
Antibacterial
Antifungal
Emmenagogue (stimulates menstrual flow)
Cholagogue (stimulates bile)
YOU ARE -OH- SO EDIBLE!
Soon after arriving in Portugal—on my first summer in the Algarve—I received a meal from an herbalist friend—a nourishing quiche crafted from homegrown veggies, speckled with the orange and yellow of calendula petals. Such a small touch made a large impression: I felt the warmth and sunshine of summer in every bite and of her heart intention...
To prepare calendula for eating, the petals are plucked from the medicinal-tasting green flower base and can be eaten raw or cooked. Try calendula petals in salads, salsas, scrambled eggs, quiche, and frittatas. The yellow and orange confetti adds merriment and festivity to any dish. Add the petals to herbal compound butters with other edible blooms, such as chives.
In the summertime, whole flower heads can be frozen in ice cube trays, creating decorative ice cubes fit for the finest herbal libation. You can fancy things up even more by freezing the flowers in colorful herbal tea. Harvest flowers with longer stems intact for adorning iced herbal teas and botanical cocktails, and add a sprig of mint for contrast.
Calendula’s petals are more than a fetching culinary adornment. Like other edible blooms, they are loaded with antioxidant compounds. Its colorful petals are high in carotenoids, which is extra goodness for your summer skin protection.
SNEAK PEAK INTO THE WITCH'S CAULDRON Will you try this recipe with me?
Medicinal Bone Broth with Calendula
For next winter... I found this power house recipe on my herbal mentor's website.
A strong medicinal and mineral-rich bone broth of calendula flowers, turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), astragalus (Astragalus propinquus), stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), seaweed, organic beef bones, and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mushrooms.
Simmer in a big pot all day, concentrating the brew with evaporation by leaving the lid off.
Strain, cool and freeze into small portions and subsequently add to soup, stew, marinara, and chili all throughout the winter months. This herbal broth is an excellent way to sneak extra minerals into our diets, and also doubles as an immune tonic, helping to keep colds and flu at bay.
CALENDULA SPIRIT FROM ME TO YOU...
This plant is all about the Sun energy... shinning on the shadowed corners of our self, reminding us of the bright side of Life, she reminds us of our light within, soothing us with her warm colors and spreading Joy and high vibes throughout our bodies as we take it in and take the time to feel her... She's truly the warm-hearted fairy of JOY!
That's it folks! I hope you enjoyed and learned new things through this blog article and I wish you a Joyful high summer vibes !
Calendula Love, Jaya
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