Calendula

Identity

Common Name

Calendula

Scientific Name

Calendula officinalis

Botanical Family

Asteraceae

Native Region

Mediterranean and southern Europe

Cultivation Regions

Europe, North America, Mediterranean

Plant Parts Used

Flower petals, Whole flower heads

Synonyms

Pot Marigold, Marigold

Caffeine Level

Caffeine Free

An annual or short-lived perennial 30–50 cm tall with bright golden-orange, multi-layered ray flowers and a central disc, and broad, sticky oval leaves. The petals are the primary medicinal part.

Historical Background

Calendula has been used since antiquity as a skin-healing, digestive, and culinary herb — its petals colored broths, cheeses, and skin salves. It was a staple of medieval European gardens and monastic medicine and remains a cornerstone of Western skin herbalism.

Earliest recorded uses: Arab, Greek, and Roman physicians used calendula for wounds and skin; medieval European herbals kept it for skin and fever.

Cultural significance: Named for the Latin calends (the first of the month, when it was said to bloom), calendula symbolized constancy and was sacred in Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations; the petals were a cheap saffron substitute.

Traditional Uses

These uses document historical traditions and do not imply proven effectiveness.

Flavor & Aroma

Aroma: Warm, floral, faintly honeyed

Tea Information

Research Summary

Calendula has a long tradition in wound and skin care and is supported by a few small trials suggesting improved healing of skin wounds and reduction of radiation dermatitis in cancer treatment, though evidence is limited. Internal effects are less studied. It is not a treatment for serious skin disease.

Evidence levels reflect the currently available scientific literature and may change as new research emerges. Where evidence is limited or conflicting, this is stated plainly.

References & Sources