Calendula officinalis

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Calendula officinalis
Light:Full Sun Part Shade
Moisture:Mesic
Hardiness:6
Soil pH:5.6-8.4
Height:2'
Width:2'
Blooms:Early Summer-Late Fall
Native to:
Shelter
Edible Rating:PFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating:PFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal Rating
Tea:Yes
Poisonous

Calendula officinalis (common name: pot marigold)

Propagation: Seed - sow in situ from spring to early summer and again in September. The seed germinates best in darkness and usually within 1 - 2 weeks at 21°c[1]. The plant often self-sows freely.

Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any well-drained soil[2][3], though it prefers a good loam and requires a sunny or at least partially sunny position[4][5][2][3]. Plants flower best when they are grown in a poor soil[6]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 8.3.

The pot marigold is a very ornamental plant that is commonly grown in the flower garden, and occasionally as a culinary herb, there are some named varieties[7]. When well-sited it usually self-sows freely and will maintain itself if allowed[8][4]. The flowers are sensitive to variations in temperature and dampness, closing when it is dark and when rain is expected[9][10]. All parts of the plant are pungently scented[11].

The growing plant attracts hoverflies to the garden, the young of which are fairly efficient eaters of aphids[12][13]. The flowers are attractive to bees[6]. Marigolds are good companion plants, they grow well with tomatoes[14].

Cucumber mosaic disease and powdery mildew can cause problems with this plant[15].

Range: S. Europe. A garden escape in Britain[16].

Habitat: The original habitat is obscure but it is found as a garden escape on waste, cultivated and arable land and along roadsides[2].

Edibility: Leaves - raw[14][17]. When eaten they first of all impart a viscid sweetness, followed by a strong penetrating taste of a saline nature[4]. They are very rich in vitamins and minerals and are similar to Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion) in nutritional value[18].

Fresh petals are chopped and added to salads[7]. The dried petals have a more concentrated flavour and are used as a seasoning in soups, cakes etc[7]. High in vitamins A and C[19].

An edible yellow dye is obtained from the petals[20]. A saffron substitute[17], it is used to colour and flavour rice, soups etc[21][14][22][23]. It is also used as a hair rinse, adding golden tints to brown or auburn hair[13].

A tea is made from the petals and flowers, that made from the petals is less bitter[7].

There is no record of the seed being edible, but it contains up to 37% protein and 46% oil[19].

Medicinal: Pot marigold is one of the best known and versatile herbs in Western herbal medicine and is also a popular domestic remedy[4][24]. It is, above all, a remedy for skin problems and is applied externally to bites and stings, sprains, wounds, sore eyes, varicose veins etc[4][24]. It is also a cleansing and detoxifying herb and is taken internally in treating fevers and chronic infections[4][24]. Only the common deep-orange flowered variety is considered to be of medicinal value[4].

The whole plant, but especially the flowers and the leaves, is antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aperient, astringent, cholagogue, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, skin, stimulant and vulnerary[4][9][25][17][20][26][13]. The leaves can be used fresh or dried, they are best harvested in the morning of a fine sunny day just after the dew has dried from them[4]. The flowers are also used fresh or dried, for drying they are harvested when fully open and need to be dried quickly in the shade[4].

A tea of the petals tones up the circulation and, taken regularly, can ease varicose veins[13].

An application of the crushed stems to corns and warts will soon render them easily removable[9].

The leaves, blossoms and buds are used to make a homeopathic remedy[27]. It is used internally in order to speed the healing of wounds[27].

Usage: The growing plant acts as an insect deterrent[14], it reduces the soil eelworm population[12].

The flowers are used cosmetically. They can be used in skin lotions and when added to hair shampoos will lighten the hair colour[10].

The flowers are an alternative ingredient of 'Quick Return' compost activator[28]. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K].

A yellow dye is obtained from the boiled flowers[21][4][20].

An essential oil is obtained from the plant[9]. It is used rather sparingly, in view of the difficulty in obtaining it, in perfumes that have a rather sharp tang[9].

The flowers close when wet weather is likely to occur and they can therefore be used as a rough means of weather forecasting[9].

Pollinators: Bees

Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.

Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.

Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Late Fall

Flower Type: Monoecious

Links

References

  1. ↑ Bird, R. Growing from Seed Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan, 1989.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Stuart, Malcolm. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, 1979.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
  5. ↑ Bryan, John and Coralie Castle. Edible Ornamental Garden. Pitman Publishing, 1976.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association, 1981.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
  8. ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Phillips, Roger. Herbs. Pan Books, 1990.
  11. ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Baines, Chris. Making a Wildlife Garden.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Allardice, Pamela. A-Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers, 1993.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Hylton, Josie and William Holtom. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press, 1979.
  15. ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
  16. ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
  18. ↑ Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
  22. ↑ Vilmorin-Andrieux. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press.
  23. ↑ Organ, John. Rare Vegetables for Garden and Table. Faber, 1960.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
  25. ↑ Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
  26. ↑ Mills, Simon. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Castro, Miranda. The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. Macmillan, 1990.
  28. ↑ Bruce, Maye. Commonsense Compost Making. Faber, 1977.


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