Calendula

Calendula: 

The following text came from: Nye, Gillian. "Roots Originals ~ Articles - The Flower of the Sun."

Calendula is the center of many a folk tale, Culpeper called it the herb of the sun, ruled by Leo and thought the flower to be associated with the sun's journey across the sky as they open when the sun rises and close as it sets. William Shakespeare said “The marigold goes to bed with the Sun and with him rises, weeping”. Energetically some associate Calendula with recovery from grief and mourning, maybe because the flower daily mourns the departure of the sun when it's petals close. Other lore of South America and Mexico says that when Spanish conquistadores murdered many Aztecs in their search for gold, little red flecks began to show themselves on some of the golden flowers, symbolizing the blood of the Aztec people. There certainly are some stunning varieties of Calendula with flecks and layers of all spectrums of red. In Greek mythology there was a young woman named Caltha who fell in love with Apollo, the sun god. She was melted by the power of his rays, and in her place a solitary Calendula flower grew. It is said that the grief and pain of melting from lost love can be dispelled by mixing calendula and roses together!

    Herbalists have been using Calendula for centuries, being said to not only comfort the heart and spirits, but as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, lymphagogue, choleretic, demulcent, and vulnerary.

    Research shows Calendula to have anti-viral activity, support normal connective tissue, aid in healing wounds, burns, bruises, boils, rashes and to be beneficial for infectious diseases, as well as the prevention or treatment of congealed tissues or tumors.

    Calendula is a very user friendly medicinal, with the one contraindication of “excessive internal use during pregnancy is not recommended due to emmenagogue and abortifacacient effects”. Interestingly enough, other sources site it as having in vitro anti – viral effects.

    Calendula can be used as a tonic tea for swollen glands and lymph nodes, sore throats, and coughs. It is also extremely beneficial as a soothing demulcent for the gut, intestines, stomach and urinary tract. Calendula combines well for nurturing the healing of these areas with marshmallow and mullein, creating a very soothing and tonifying blend. A simple Calendula tea can be used as a mouthwash or gargle for mouth sores or lesions (including cold sores) and for sore throats. Calendula combines well with another wild warrior, Plantain, for these purposes.

    Another main action of Calendula is as a vulnerary, promoting healing of wounds or irritated tissues. Calendula combines well with Comfrey, Lavender, Plantain, and Chamomile in herbal oils to create a very healing, nurturing oil or salve to support and create greater dermal health. Calendula is quite effective on it's own by making a “mouth tea”. In the case of a splinter, cut, or burn you can simply chew up a fresh flower until it begins to release it's resins and then slap it on the problem area and cover with a bandaid. The calendula will draw out a splinter and begin to aid in the healing of cuts, burns, abrasions, insect bites, stings, etc. If it's your mouth that's bothering you, just chew up the flower a bit and let it swish around your mouth. This can be beneficial to the gums, and for added benefit include a little Self Heal in your mouth tea.

    To have the “flower of the sun” on hand in your garden to make your own mouth tea or garden concoctions, the growing needs of Calendula are simple. Calendula plants like rich, well drained soil, but are very tolerant of average to slightly poor soils. Improving your soil quality will produce much healthier plants and flowers, so add some compost. Once your Calendula plants are established, they should grow well, even if left unattended. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week. Early in the summer, your plants will begin to produce large flowers on long stems. They will continually produce flowers even after the first light frost. Pick dead blooms to keep the plants neat looking and to encourage new blooms. It's fine to pick all your Calendula blooms, the more you pick the faster they grow! Calendula is a hardy annual, it will not be harmed by a light frost either in the spring or fall. It naturalizes amazingly well, and will quickly become a hardy member of your garden!

    The entire flower of Calendula is edible. It's a beautiful, nutritious salad addition. Harvest the whole flower and add it to your meals, the center of the flower in particular is high in caratanoids . Lots of little creatures also enjoy Calendula, when I harvest it I blow on each flower. This is fun, and it evacates the flower hotel. If you dry your flower heads for future use, be sure they are completely dry before you put them in a jar, the centers are very resinous and tend to take a while to dehydrate.

    Stop by Roots Herbal Apothecary, we'll have some free Calendula seeds for you to begin or accent your medicinal garden with!

Recipes:

Calendula Oil

Use about 4 oz. Dried herb for every 1-2 c oil (pure olive, almond, sunflower oils are the best to use for infusing)

1. Place herb and oil in to the top of a double boiler, filling the bottom of the double boiler with water.

2. Heat over low heat, making sure oil never boils and water level stays constant, for 2-4 hours.

3. Check lid of double boiler often, wiping off condensation as it occurs.

4. Let mixture sit and cool completely.

5. Strain through cheesecloth, discarding plant material and keeping oil.

6. Add 1 ounce Vitamin E oil to preserve freshness and decrease risk of molding.

7. Label and store in refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Use liberally as moisturizer, bath or massage oil or as a base for healing salve.

Gut Nurturing Tea

3 parts Licorice

2 parts Calendula

2 parts Oatstraw

1 part Nettles

1 part Slippery Elm

Blend herbs together, use 1 teaspoon/cup of boiling water. Steep for 30min.-1 hour, strain and enjoy. Strained tea may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nye, Gillian. "Roots Originals ~ Articles - The Flower of the Sun." Roots Originals ~ Articles - The Flower of the Sun. The Lighthouse Peddler, May 2012, n.d. Web. 17 June 2015.

Calendula Magic

The following text came from: Hunter, Candace. "Calendula History, Folklore, Myth and Magic- The Practical Herbalist."

    While Calendula’s origins are somewhat disputed, there is no question as to how important this garden flower has been in more recent history. Europeans and early American colonists relied on calendula’s sunny disposition and gentle immune boosting properties for protection against the damp, cold of winter. It was a common pot herb, meaning it was often used in soups and stews, as well as a regular ingredient in daily herbal infusions and beauty treatments.

    Calendula has been revered as a magical medicinal for centuries as well. Ancient Egyptians used calendula to rejuvenate their skin. The Greeks and Romans used it as a culinary garnish. In ancient as well as modern India, Calendula is often strung into garlands for weddings and religious rituals. Powers of protection and prophecy have been attributed to calendula. Strewing calendula under your bed was said to offer you protection from robbers and thieves and to induce prophetic dreams if you had been robbed, helping you to identify the culprit. When dealing with legal matters, it was considered wise to carry a bit of calendula in your pocket to ensure a positive outcome. Bathing in calendula infusion was thought to give one a healthy, sunny glow that would draw admiration and respect from one’s community.

    Calendula’s medicinal affinity is for moving that which has stagnated in our defense system. He isolates and quarantines what doesn’t belong, and he helps warm the whole system, urging the body toward healthy circulation. Calendula offers us an opportunity to move that which has stagnated in our lives. He helps us warm and dry the emotional-energetic pools we’ve ignored or not quite noticed. Calendula magic offers us an opportunity to reclaim our boundaries and to make full use of the energy we already possess. Calendula magic is the magic of recognizing and using our wealth.

    Calendula’s flowers follow the sun, gathering in those gentle, fiery, nourishing energies. His magic is warming, coaxing us into a brighter disposition and offering us a glimpse into the sunny possibilities even when we’re feeling mired in the dark of winter.  He asks us to seek similar energies in our lives and to use them to bring ourselves and our work into blossom. Calendula magic is the magic of nurturing potential.

    As a hearty plant, Calendula is able to live in a wide variety of climates and soils, self-seeding and thriving on minimal care. Calendula magic is the magic of universal opportunity. He shows us that bounty, prosperity, and wealth are available to all of us, no matter our socio-economic situation, should we choose to focus on the bright, nourishing elements in our lives. “You have all you need to flourish,” he seems to counsel.

    Calendula magic is the magic of wealth, its potential, its attitude, and its beauty. Blooming from early spring into late fall and even winter, Calendula has much to teach about sustaining wealth. As a mentor and wise companion on your journey, Calendula can show you how to recognize and create the conditions within which true wealth can come into blossom repeatedly. If Calendula has come into your life, look forward the many beautiful ways in which wealth can blossom for you and be ready to make all the adjustments necessary to maintain the conditions that best support those blossoms. Calendula magic is the magic of sustaining wealth.

In astrology, Calendula is considered a masculine plant and is governed by the Sun. His element is Fire.

Hunter, Candace. "Calendula History, Folklore, Myth and Magic- The Practical Herbalist." The Practical Herbalist. N.p., 17 Oct. 2008. Web. 17 June 2015.