🙤 Plant Facts: This medicinal annual produces cheerfully golden-orange flowers that have a faint but distinctive scent. Growing up to 28 inches tall, its upright, branching stems have paddle shaped leaves that are densely covered with fine hairs. Its leaves can be added to salads while the flowers add a color full garnish to many dishes.

🙤 Origin

Although it is native to the Mediterranean, the calendula is now cultivated throughout the world. It grows wild in many areas, preferring sunny roadsides and open fields.

🙤 Parts used

Medicinal preparations are usually made from either the whole flower heads or just the petals.

🙤 Components

The calendula contain essential oil that has an antibiotic effect effect and lends the flower its characteristic scent. Other components include calenden which also has a strong odor the carotene-like dye calendulin, the therapeutic plant fiber mucilage, saponin, organic acids and various enzymes and resins

🙤 Indications

Calendula has rather strong antiseptic properties both topically and internally. Applied externally to the skin, the plant’s antibiotic action helps promote  the  painless healing of minor wounds by reducing inflammation and pus formation. Because calendula improves blood circulation, it is useful for alleviating, burns and bruises and for reducing scarring. Calendula can also be used as a gargle to relieve sore throats. taken internally, the plant promotes the secretion of bile and thereby stimulates digestion and bowel function.