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Calendula
Calendula officinalis
A gentle wound healer that’s good for skin
COLORING TIPS
The entire flower head of calendula
is orange, orange-yellow, or yellow.
Green bracts hold the topmost flower
at its base like a cup. The bud is mostly
green with some orange/yellow.
Calendula | MEDICINAL PLANTS OF NORTH AMERICA © 2012 Flora Delaterre™ Productions | www.floradelaterre.com
W
ith its bold yellow or orange petals,
calendula (say cal-END-jula) is a
bright spot in any garden. People
value calendula as medicine, too, and have for
centuries. It’s very mild and safe.
In creams and ointments, calendula is good
for skin. It stimulates the growth of new skin in
wounds and skin problems. It has been shown to lessen
the pain of healing wounds. It’s also good for minor
skin irritation, bee stings, and sunburn. Gentle,
soothing calendula is safe to use on babies’ diaper
rash and cradle cap.
Calendula heals wounds and inflammation inside
the body, too—ulcers, for example. Tea made from the petals,
cooled and gargled, can help soothe throat pain in tonsilitis.
Calendula is a common remedy in the system of medicine known
as homeopathy (home-ee-OPP-uh-thee).
FUN FACTS
❁ Calendula opens its petals with the sun in the morning and closes them back up
later in the day.
❁ Calendula isn’t a native plant of North America, but it has thrived here since its
arrival. Its natural home is the region around the Mediterranean Sea, though others
say it came, long ago, from Egypt. Today, it has spread around the world.
❁ Calendula is related to daisies and sunflowers.
❁ You can safely eat the petals and leaves of calendula. In the old days, people dried
the petals and added them to soup—an especially nice treat in the middle of winter.
❁ Another name for calendula is pot-marigold.
❁ Calendula petals have been used to dye fabric, cosmetics, and cheese.
❁ Calendula’s name is related to the word “calendar” because the Romans noticed how
regularly it bloomed.
Calendula | MEDICINAL PLANTS OF NORTH AMERICA © 2012 Flora Delaterre™ Productions | www.floradelaterre.com