Overview:
Calendula is both beautiful and easy to grow. Calendula should be included in any herb gardener's list of must haves. Also known as pot marigold, this is a wonderful plant for the cooler regions as it tolerates lower temperatures well. It has edible petals and a cheerfully sprawling habit.Latin Name:
calendula officinalisCommon Name:
Calendula, Pot marigoldUSDA Hardiness Zone:
Annual, reseeds easilyExposure:
Full sun, rich, well drained soilHarvest:
Cut flower heads as they open. Keep the flowers from going to seed by cutting them as the bloom. At the end of the season, let a few heads go to seed and have the earliest blooms possible the following season.Uses:
Calendula is a wonderfully useful herb. It is used in many ways, from edible flower petals to an ingredient in dyers mixes. Calendula also has a wide range of medicinal uses. It is a soothing tea for gastrointestinal problems, healing wash for skin wounds, easily infused into oil for a healing salve or balm. Great for baby diaper area.
Calendula has the rare quality of keeping its color during soapmaking. Unlike most herbal additives, calendula will not turn brown or black in a bar of herbal soap. Add 1 tablespoon of petals into just enough oil to cover. After your soap reaches trace, stir in the oil and petal mixture throughout your soap batch. The bright orange petals will remain bright and offer even soothing properties to the finished soap. For soapmaking information, find someone knowledgeable in the craft before undertaking it yourself.
