Calendula

After the seed catalogues have been in our hands for months and we still haven't decided what to put in that little corner of the garden that needs a spot of bright color, let me suggest a marigold called Calendula.

Calendula stands out from the hybrid marigolds in that the flowers have a sunflower look. Other marigolds have many petals all over the composite head of the flower but Calendula has petals only on the fringe or outside of the flower head.

Here is an herb that can cheer us with its pretty orange flowers and do some healing at the same time. Add to that the fact that it can be used in salads and soups, as a pot-herb or just a lovely garnish. We are talking about the multi-pedaled orange-flowered marigolds that were also "used to color cheese" according to Mrs. Grieves, author of A MODERN HERBAL. The yellow color is extracted from the flowers by simmering them.

The flowers and leaves are used for culinary purposes in rice and fish dishes as a garnish. More than that, the flowers were put into broths. Grieves said, "No broths are well made without dried Marigold," and this was without exception in time of plague or pestilence.

Herbalists always refer to this marigold by it botanical name Calendula. These lovelies open to the sun around 9 in the morning and close up again in the afternoon. They can grow up to 28 inches tall with paddle-shaped leaves. The thing that I personally like about them is their hardiness. It seems that they thrive with so little care.

Culpeper mentioned, "The leaves, when chewed, at first communicate a viscid sweetness followed by a strong penetrating taste of a saline nature." It seems the juice containing this pungent matter helps the liver clean toxins out of the body. Plants are so helpful that way. Culpeper mentioned that by adding vinegar to the leaves, one could give instant relief to "Hot swelling when bathed with it."

Lesley Bremness, author of the EYEWITNESS HANDBOOK – HERBS, mentions that "research into the ray florets show depilatory effects, potentially useful in face creams." The oils extracted from the macerated flower are very expensive but great for skin problems. One book that I read mentioned that the petals yield a soothing eyewash. This might be because of it antiseptic and antifungal properties?

So far we have only mentioned it being great for the outside of the body but it is great for things like inflamed lymph glands and to stimulate the liver. I have read where one can use it to soothe stomach pains.

I checked Dr. James A. Duke's Database on Calendula and found that so many of the properties in this plant, but mainly in its flowers are: Antitumor or anticancer. He uses words like Cancer Preventive and Cardioprotective and Antiviral and Candidicide along with Fungicide. There are so many properties in this little sunny flower that one could use it to stay healthy.

David Christopher, Director of The School Of Natural Healing, has mentioned that if you are using Echinacea to activate the immune system for some problem, you should only take it for 7 days and then switch to something else like Calendula for the next week.

Many books told about all the things that Calendula could do, so I decided to find out what my herbal computer program has to say about this. The Globalherb program listed the following things that Calendula is good for: Fevers, Bruises, Toothache, Amenorrhea, Cancer, Flu, Mouthwash, Sprains, Bleeding, Burns, Corns, Cuts, Earache, Hemorrhage, Hemorrhoids, Jaundice, Lungs, Measles, Menses, Piles, Pyorrhea, Scrofula, Skin, Stomachache, Syphilis, Tuberculosis, Ulcerations and Warts. All of this from a package of seeds, a first aid kit in itself.

So how do we collect these lovely flowers? One of the nice things is that you are not stripping the whole plant when you harvest just the flowers. When they put new flowers out, we collect them in the morning just after the dew has dried. Then we dry then quickly in an area where they are not touching each other. I like to lay them on a lined cookie sheet and turn the oven on warm. I put a wooden spoon in the door so the moisture can escape. Another way is to put them in a food drier. I store them in a colored glass jar until I am ready to use them.

Maybe it is time to order your seeds and enjoy the "Sunshine" of the Marigold?