Calendula

🌿 Herb Identification

• Common Name: Calendula
• Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis
• Also Known As: Pot Marigold
• Plant Family: Asteraceae (Daisy family)
• Plant Type: Annual flowering herb
• Native Region: Southern Europe (widely cultivated)

🔍 Physical Description

• Flowers: Bright yellow to deep orange, resinous petals
• Leaves: Soft, slightly sticky, lance-shaped
• Aroma: Mild, green, faintly resinous
• Taste: Mildly bitter, slightly salty
• Growth Habit: Bushy, cheerful, prolific bloomer

🌱 Growing & Harvesting

• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Water: Moderate
• Soil: Well-draining, average fertility
• Harvest Time: When flowers are fully open
• Harvest Method: Pinch flower heads regularly to encourage reblooming
• Drying: Air-dry flowers in a single layer away from direct sunlight

🔮 Magical Correspondences

• Element: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Zodiac: Leo
• Gender/Energy: Feminine
• Chakra: Solar Plexus, Heart

✨ Magical Properties

• Healing & protection
• Joy & optimism
• Solar vitality
• Boundary repair
• Gentle purification

🕯️ Magical Uses

• Healing spells and charms
• Protection magic (especially for children)
• Legal or justice work
• Joy-bringing rituals
• Boundary and aura repair

🌿 Medicinal / Folk Uses (Expanded)

(Traditional and educational reference — not a substitute for professional medical advice)

Calendula is one of the greatest skin-healing herbs in Western herbalism and is also valued internally for its gentle lymphatic, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-repair actions. It is considered cooling, moistening, and restorative, making it ideal for inflamed, irritated, or damaged tissues.

🩹 Skin, Wound & Tissue Healing

Calendula is traditionally used to:

• Speed wound healing
• Reduce inflammation and redness
• Support tissue regeneration
• Prevent infection in minor cuts and burns

It is especially valued for:

• Slow-healing wounds
• Cracked skin
• Rashes, eczema, and diaper rash

Calendula promotes healing without forcing drainage, making it safe and gentle.

💧 Lymphatic & Immune Support

Used internally to:

• Support lymphatic flow
• Reduce swollen glands
• Aid immune response during infection

Often used during recovery or chronic inflammation.

🔥 Anti-Inflammatory & Mucosal Healing

Traditionally used for:

• Inflamed digestive tract
• Gastritis and ulcers (mild cases)
• Mouth sores and gum irritation

Calendula supports healing of mucous membranes, inside and out.

🫃 Digestive & Liver Support

Used gently to:

• Stimulate digestion
• Support bile flow
• Ease inflammatory digestive discomfort

Less bitter and stimulating than dandelion—more soothing.

🌸 Emotional & Energetic Healing

In folk traditions, calendula is used to:

• Soothe emotional wounds
• Support recovery after trauma or grief
• Restore warmth and optimism

🧪 Preparations & Traditional Dosage

🍵 Infusion (Tea) — Internal Use

• Dose:
• 1–2 teaspoons dried petals
• Per 1 cup hot water
• Steep Time: 10–15 minutes
• Frequency:
• 2–3 cups per day

✔️ Best for lymphatic and digestive support

💧 Tincture

• Dose:
• 2–4 mL
• Up to 3 times daily
• Often used during infection or inflammation

🧴 Infused Oil (Primary External Use)

• Flowers infused in olive or sunflower oil
• Applied to:
• Wounds
• Burns
• Rashes
• Massage blends

🧼 Salve / Cream

• Calendula oil thickened with wax
• Used for daily skin care and healing

🛁 Bath & Wash

• Strong infusion added to bath
• Used for:
• Skin irritation
• Energetic cleansing after illness
• Emotional comfort

⚠️ Safety & Contraindications

• Very safe for most people
• Possible allergy in those sensitive to daisy-family plants
• Safe for children and elders
• Suitable for long-term use

Calendula is gentle enough for daily and ongoing support.

🌕 Ritual Timing

• Moon Phase: Waxing & Full Moon
• Best Days: Sunday
• Seasonal Alignment: Summer

🧙 Witch’s Herbal Wisdom

“Calendula heals what has been hurt—slowly, kindly, and completely.”

Calendula is best used:

• When tissues or emotions are inflamed or damaged
• For rebuilding after illness or stress
• To restore warmth, safety, and trust

🗂️ Keywords

Healing · Skin · Lymph · Joy · Restoration · Protection