Calendula
Calendula officinalis; Garden marigold; Pot marigold
To introduce the plant series, I chose to highlight calendula! From sore throats to diaper rash, calendula is a sunny powerhouse.
Physical Properties
Calendula is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiinflammatory, making it an incredible go-to herb for so many ailments.
It is excellent for everything skin related from rashes to wounds- this beautiful flower is an amazing ally when used topically. It can be used as a wash for burns including sunburns, wounds, and bruises. It drastically promotes cell regeneration and studies have shown impressive wound healing in patients with ulcers and open wounds.
This can also be used to treat diaper rash, dermatitis, radiation burns in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
For topical use, calendula can be made into a tincture, salve, balm, lotion, or cream or any which way you prefer! It is super high in flavinoids, which can protect against free radicals and environmental damage.
Its anti inflammatory anti microbial properties help with ear infections and sore throats. Calendula ear drops can help with ear infections, and you can make an excellent throat gargle and mouthwash by decocting calendula with clean water and straining it. Try gargling with some the next time you feel an onset of a sore throat!
When taken internally, it can be helpful with internal ulcers of the gastrointestinal system.
Energetic / Essence / Vibrational Properties
It is of no surprise that calendula is astrologically associated with the sun, imbuing bright and joyful vibrations with it’s sunny and cheerful demeanor. It is thought to enhance clairvoyance and has protective powers. It can be used to summon happiness, prosperity, sun warming energy especially at Winter Solstice, love, and establishing boundaries. It is associated with the solar plexus chakra. It can also aid in communication, and promotes calm but upbeat and energetic vibrations. Sprinkle some under your bed to ward intruders and promote restful sleep.
Historical Usage and Associations
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is thought to be energetically neutral and drying, whereas in Ayurvedic medicinal practices it is considered energetically cooling with its pungent taste. They are considered sacred in India, and were used in ceremonies throughout Mesoamerica- to this day they are used in Day of the Dead ceremonies in Mexico. Ever seen the animated film Coco? The amazing bridge between the living and the dead is paved with these beautiful flowers!
Harvesting information
What I love the most about calendula is it’s neverending bounty. The more you harvest, the more it will produce, leaving vast seas of joyful orange and yellow blossoms that increase exponentially. It is a hardy annual, and this last year we noticed a few flowers still trying to bloom into early December after hard freezes every morning. It is self seeding, and you can easily leave the old blooms to go to seed to harvest and reseed for the next crop next year. Some folks recommend storing in a cool, dark, dry place, and I have seen others recommend storing them between 30-40 degrees to help germination. In that case I have seen folks keep them in their freezer, and I have had excellent success with 2 year old seeds kept frozen.
The resin of the flower and petals contain the medicinal properties of this plant. When harvesting, it is always a joy to have our fingers and shears covered in the sticky medicine!
Earthshine Medicinals uses!
The kind we grow is a hybrid of organic Erfurter which is a lovely vibrant orange prized for its high oil (and therefore medicinal) properties. Counterintuitively, this variety has higher resin content than the Resina variety! It originated in Germany, where it was dubbed Erfurter Orangefarbigen -Orange Zinger-…. Orange Zinger indeed!
We incorporate calendula as one of the key ingredients in many of our formulas because of how incredible it is for physical support and healing, but also to impart some of the most incredible sunny, cheerful, high vibrational joy-bringing capabilities. It lifts the heart and implores us to look to the sun for hope and joy.
Sources:
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/calendula
https://mountainroseherbs.com/calendula
https://draxe.com/nutrition/calendula/
https://wealthfulmind.com/calendula-magical-properties/