RARITYARare
Calendula
Calendula officinalis
The Marigold of the Trenches
HEALTH
POTENTIAL
Calendula is the orange pot marigold that field medics once carried for wounds. It is a skin and wound flower first, with edible petals that colour food, a knack for trapping garden pests away from crops, and a season of bloom that lasts until frost. It grows from seed almost anywhere and comes back on its own.
The Rooms
THE GIFTSBody, kitchen, material, living world — what the plant gives.
LAYERSThe biography — past, present, future.
GOLD MINEThe action ladder — free moves to deeper plays.
- People allergic to the daisy family (ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold) can react to calendula on the skin or in food. Patch-test first.
- Oral use is best avoided in pregnancy. Skin use is the well-supported use anyway.
- Use the petals in moderation in food. Large amounts can upset the stomach.
- Make sure it is true pot marigold, Calendula officinalis, not the unrelated French or African marigold (Tagetes) sold under the same common name.
- For salves, dry the flowers fully. Trapped moisture spoils the oil and can grow mould.