Plant Series: Calendula

You’re Reading The Fourth Of A Weekly Series Featuring My Favourite Plants and Herbs, Along With The Simple Ways That I Use Them!

>>>Featured This Week: Calendula

Calendula has antiviral, antigenotoxic, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a known remedy for healing, pain reduction, abdominal discomfort, and constipation. It has been used to detox the liver and the gall bladder, and to treat acne.

Calendula has antiviral, antigenotoxic, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a known remedy for healing, pain reduction, abdominal discomfort, and constipation. It has been used to detox the liver and the gall bladder, and to treat acne.Calendula has antiviral, antigenotoxic, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a known remedy for healing, pain reduction, abdominal discomfort, and constipation. It has been used to detox the liver and the gall bladder, and to treat acne.

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Calendula has been enjoyed as a culinary and medicinal (and even ritual) herb for centuries. The petals can be used fresh or dried to makes salves, balms and teas, or to make a yellow dye for coloring food or textiles. It’s no wonder that Calendula is a sacred flower in India and is used to decorate the statues of Hindu deities. It is beautiful, timeless, and offers many health benefits.

Calendula is an easy-to-grow annual, with beautiful golden petals and long firm stems like their family member, the daisy. There are many species of Calendula, but the one most often cultivated is the C. Officinalis shown below.

Calendula is known to cause allergic reactions in some people. Use during pregnancy is not recommended.

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It’s always good to have a simple Calendula oil-infusion on hand that can be used as-is or incorporated into other recipes.

Making a Calendula-infused oil is as simple as placing the dried petals in a glass jar, covering it with oil (olive oil works- I prefer grapeseed oil) and then leaving it to sit for at least three weeks in a warm location. Give it a swirl every day to ensure all petals remain coated in oil.

By the end of three weeks, you’ll have a richly infused oil that you can then use to soothe chapped skin, burns and localized pain.

Store in a cool, dark place for as long as 1-2 years.

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I’ve used this recipe for Calendula Salve for two years. It makes a great gift for sun-lovers and gardeners. My whole family uses it on minor scrapes and burns and as a general speed-healing salve:

Calendula Salve:

Ingredients:

• 4 oz calendula-infused oil
• 1/2 oz grated beeswax
• additional essential oils of choice (I prefer grapefruit and rose maroc)

Directions:

1. Melt beeswax and calendula oil together in a double-boiler.
2. As soon as the last of the beeswax melts, remove from heat and stir in remaining oils.
3. Pour into glass jars or tins and allow to cool before placing lids on the containers.

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For a more luxurious and gift-worthy Calendula topical treatment, you can create a rich and creamy lotion by using this recipe below:

Calendula Lotion:

• 1 part coconut oil, shea butter, or tallow (directions on how to render tallow here)
• 3 parts Calendula-infused Oil (recipe above)
• 1 part grated beeswax
• 10 drops of one of the following essential oils; peppermint, tea tree, thyme, or cinnamon. These are antibacterial oils that will keep your lotion fresh.
• 2-3 drops of vit. e oil to stabilize lotion for longer shelf life

1. In a double-broiler, gently heat together the fat (shea butter/tallow/coconut oil) and calendula oil with the grated beeswax just until the beeswax melts.
2. Remove from heat and add the essential oils and vitamin E oil and stir to mix.
3. Place in the fridge and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. It should be just starting to form a bit of a ring around the edges of the bowl.
4. Remove from fridge and whisk with an electric beater for about a minute, then place back in fridge again to cool more.

Repeat this process 4 or 5 times over the course of an hour or two. As the lotion cools and the beater incorporates more and more air, your oily liquid will transform into a smooth and fluffy creamy lotion.

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Calendula Tea can be taken for an upset stomach or to relieve constipation. To make a tea, simply steep dry petals in a cup of boiled water for ten minutes, strain, and enjoy with honey as you would any other tea.

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I’m happy to bring to you lessons and information I’ve picked up along my journey towards developing a more intentional lifestyle! To find out more about who I am and what the heck I am doing with my life, read about my family and I here. Thank you for visiting! We are so glad you came.

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