Calendula

Overview

Calendula is the herb you wish you’d started growing years ago. Those bright orange and yellow flowers that look like sunshine? They’re not just pretty – they’re powerful medicine waiting to happen. While you’re spending $7 a box on calendula tea at the store, this cheerful annual will bloom from spring until frost, giving you enough petals for healing salves, soothing teas, and diaper rash cream that actually works. It’s one of those plants that asks for almost nothing and gives you everything: beauty, medicine, and the satisfaction of growing your own healing.

Where & How to Plant

Pick a spot that gets good sun – calendula wants at least 6 hours of direct light to bloom its heart out. If you’re in a hot climate, give it some afternoon shade to prevent wilting. This isn’t a fussy plant; it’ll grow in average garden soil, even poor soil, as long as it drains well. No soggy spots or heavy clay unless you amend it with compost first.

Direct sow seeds right in the garden after your last frost, covering them with about ¼ inch of soil. They need darkness to germinate, so don’t just scatter them on top. Space plants 8–12 inches apart – they bush out more than you’d expect. For containers, use a pot at least 8 inches deep with drainage holes. Regular potting mix works fine.

Germination & Propagation

Seeds sprout in 5–15 days when soil temperatures hit 60°F. For earlier blooms, start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date, then transplant the seedlings outside once the weather warms. Fresh seeds germinate best – older seeds lose viability after a year or two, so use what you save promptly.

Here’s the beautiful thing: calendula self-sows readily. Let a few flowers go to seed at the end of the season, and you’ll have volunteer plants next spring. They’re not aggressive about it – just friendly reminders popping up where last year’s plants dropped their curved, knobby seeds.

Sunlight & Watering

Full sun produces the most flowers, but in scorching summer heat, calendula appreciates some afternoon shade. The plants might sulk during the hottest weeks, slowing flower production, but they’ll perk back up when temperatures moderate.

Water young plants regularly to get them established. Once they’re growing well, calendula is surprisingly drought-tolerant. Water deeply once or twice a week rather than frequent shallow sprinklings. The key is keeping soil evenly moist but never waterlogged – think of it like a wrung-out sponge.

Harvest

Pick flowers when they’re fully open, ideally on a dry morning after the dew evaporates. This is when the medicinal resins are strongest. For the most potent medicine, harvest the whole flower head including the green base (called the receptacle) – that’s where much of the healing power concentrates.

The more you pick, the more it blooms. Regular harvesting acts like deadheading, encouraging the plant to produce flowers for months. Dry flowers in a single layer in a warm, dark, well-ventilated spot. They’re ready when the petals feel papery and the base is completely dry. (See our guide to drying herbs..)

Herbal Actions

Calendula is what herbalists call a vulnerary – it helps wounds heal. It’s also anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and lymphatic (helps move stagnant lymph fluid). Think of it as your skin’s best friend: it soothes, protects, and helps repair damaged tissue. Internally, it’s a gentle bitter that supports digestion and has an affinity for healing mucous membranes throughout the body.

Parts Used

The flower heads are the prize here – both the colorful petals and the resinous green base. While young leaves are technically edible and were historically used, modern herbalists focus on the flowers. Fresh petals can garnish salads (they taste mildly peppery), but most folks dry them for medicine-making.

Common Preparations

• Infused oil: The foundation for healing salves and balms (See our guide to infused oils.)
• Tea/Infusion: For digestive upset or as a skin wash (See our guide to hot infusions.)
• Tincture: Concentrated extract for internal or external use (See our guide to tinctures.)
• Salve: Your go-to for cuts, scrapes, rashes, and dry skin (See our guide to salves and balms.)
• Compress: Strong tea applied to wounds or irritated skin (See our guide to compresses.)

Start with infused oil – it’s foolproof and incredibly useful. Fill a jar ⅔ full with dried flowers, cover with olive oil, let it steep in a sunny window for 4–6 weeks, then strain. That golden oil is pure healing magic.

Companion & Garden Notes

Plant calendula near tomatoes and vegetables – it attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings while potentially deterring aphids. Some gardeners use it as a “trap crop,” drawing pests away from more valuable plants. It’s also gorgeous planted with other cottage garden favorites like lavender, salvia, and roses. Bonus: the bright flowers attract pollinators all season long.

Safety Notes

Don’t take calendula internally during pregnancy – it’s traditionally used to bring on menstruation. Those allergic to ragweed or other daisy-family plants should test carefully, starting with a small skin patch. For deep or infected wounds, use water-based preparations (tea compresses) rather than oil-based salves until infection clears. Generally very safe for babies, children, and sensitive skin when used topically.

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