14/05/2026
🌼🌿 HERB OF THE WEEK 🌿🌼
CALENDULA (Calendula officinalis)
Often called 'Pot Marigolds' with bright daisy like flowers in shades of yellow and/or orange. A versatile herb that is loved for its culinary, cosmetic and medical benefits. With its name reflecting the historical concept that this plant is always in bloom throughout the year - flowering on the '1st of every month' (Latin: calends) - this hardy annual survives and flowers throughout our cooler southern Dunedin winters!
Culinary wise flower petals give a saffron colouring and a light tangy flavor (but not saffron flavor) to rice, fish, soft cheeses, youghurt, butter, omelets, milk dishes, cakes and sweet breads. Young leaves can be sprinkled in salads and casseroles.
Cosmetically petals are often added to creams and baths for cleansing, healing and softening of skin - often used in baby lotions.
Medical wise Calendula can be taken as an infusion to aid digestion and promote bile production in the liver. Petals are used in ointments for cracked skin, varicose veins, bed sores, leg ulcers and bruises - petals were used in the American civil war by doctors to treat open wounds!
Once used as a source of yellow dye for fabrics by boiling the flowers.
Also great as a "catch crop" in the garden as insects (aphids especially) are attracted away from your food crops to the Calendula plants and when 'full' of insects pick the whole plant and dispose of it which removes the insects from your garden without the need for any chemical sprays.
Full sun. Most soil types except waterlogged. Dead-head to promote flowering. Happy in pots or in the garden 🌼
