What Is Calendula?

With uses both as a decorative garden flower and a medicinal herb, calendula is better known as the common marigold. Its dense yellow blossoms are likewise edible. Planted in spring, this hardy flower is native to Europe, but perfectly at home in the United States in temperate climes as well.

Appearance
Marigolds attain heights of 12 to 24 inches. Their shiny green foliage boasts small leaves and domed, ruffled blossoms in distinctive shades of yellow and orange. The vibrant blossoms of this flowering annual are present throughout summer and fall, making it a showy bedding or potted plant in the flower garden that thrives in partial sun.

Flavor
Calendula or marigold flowers are edible and have been called the poor man's saffron. With flavors ranging from peppery to bitter, calendula blooms are used for colorful garnishes and salads as well as in recipes, though it is best to use the petals exclusively to avoid the bitter greens. Suitable for sauces, soups, and to add its vibrant color to cheeses and scrambled eggs, organic calendula make a tangy addition to savory recipes.

Decorative Uses
Marigold blossoms are easily dried and hold up well in preserved floral arrangements. The small bright blooms make an attractive bunch on their own or add color to a mixed bouquet from your garden. In India, marigolds are used to make thick golden garlands and to adorn archways for celebrations such as weddings.

Medicinal Uses
Calendula has long been valued for its healing properties. A popular ingredient in salves to treat eczema, calendula can be used as a topical cream to treat stings and abrasions. Brewed as a tea, marigold has been used to treat gastritis, stomach ulcers and inflammation. Steep 2 tablespoons of dried petals in 200 mL of water for 10 minutes to brew a healing calendula tea that may be taken up to three times daily. Calendula should not be ingested by pregnant women.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/info_7964507_calendula.html

Definition of Calendula

Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) is a flower commonly known as the marigold. The flowers range in color from yellow to a vibrant orange. Marigolds are widely used as a decorative flower in India, and as a food garnish in Europe and the United States, but calendula is best known as a healing agent.

Medicinal Uses
Calendula is primarily recommended for skin problems such as minor rashes and small wounds; it is also a popular treatment for diaper rash. Some studies show that in liquid form it may alleviate earache. As Medline Plus points out, there are very few human clinical studies on the effects of calendula and most of the information about its medicinal properties is based on animal research. Most knowledge about its healing properties comes from traditional herbalists.

Growing Calendula
Calendula or marigold flowers are a popular vegetable patch plant as they are said to repel destructive insects, while at the same time attracting helpful predators such as ladybugs that will eat aphids. Gardening experts state that the flowers are easy to grow but are not suitable as an indoor plant as they emit an unpleasant smell. Calendula skin products come in cream, ointment and drops forms. Alternatively, you can make calendula cream at home by adding petals to a mixture of lanolin, olive oil and beeswax, according to Herb Expert.

Warning
People with an allergy to plants in the same family as the marigold, such as chrysanthemums and daisies, may have an allergic reaction to calendula. However, there are very few examples of severe reactions to it.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6874067_definition-calendula.html