January 2026

Inner Ocean & Well Being

• The Inner Ocean – The Role Of Water In Growing Health
• Calendula – Wound Healing Magician
• Burdock – Nourishing & Moistening
• Red Clover – Finding Hormonal Balance

Calendula Health Benefits – Beyond Skin Care

in medieval Saxon, which literally means “that which moves round with the sun.” Calendula is a phototropic plant, and it spends its days following the sun across the sky with its beautiful blossoms.

Also, Calendula can tell time! It’s true! If observed from day to day, you will find that Calendula opens its flower blossoms around 9 o’clock each morning, welcoming the sun. Then, at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Calendula says goodbye for the day and closes up again.

Family: Asteraceae

Part used: flower tops. It is the underside of the flowering heads (the green bottom part) that contains many of the healing properties. The petals do contain some of the constituents.

Degree: 3rd degree

Description

Here in growing zone 5, Calendula is an annual, although it might reseed itself in the garden. Calendula plants can reach 20-50 cm in height. The leaves are 7 to 14 x 1 to 4 cm, lance-shaped with narrowed bases, narrowly parallel-sided, or spoon-shaped, shortly tapering to the apex or blunt, glandular-hairy to sparsely spidery-cottony hairy, usually with a smooth edge, obscurely wavy-toothed.

The flowers are 4-7 cm in diameter and yellow or orange. The seeds are arranged in a circle around a center that pretty much resembles a cat’s claws.

Growing Calendula

Calendula is an easy plant to grow. It is a sun plant, so it will need full sun. Plant it in soil with good drainage, and it will flourish.

History and lore

Originally from Europe, Calendula crossed the ocean and is now growing all over America. She has a long standing history of use as a healing plant dating back to ancient Greece.

Calendula was considered a magical plant. It was associated with the masculine gender, had the sun as its associated planet, and represented the element fire. If you carried calendula flowers in your pocket while in court, its powers reputedly included protection, psychic powers, and triumph in legal matters.

It was used as protection against evil influences and disease, including the plague, and victims of thievery were said to be able to identify their robbers if they wore the flower. The flowers were strewn around doors to prevent evil from entering the house and scattered under the bed to protect one during sleep. It was said that they could give one prophetic dream and make dreams come true. In a bath, calendula flowers were said to strengthen the spirit, helping one to win the admiration and respect of others.

Despite a few associations of this flower with grief, Culpepper and Gerard refer to this herb as a “comforter of the heart and spirits.” This saying is also supported by the Doctrine of Signatures, an old method of discovering the properties of plants based on their appearance. Calendula’s bright color and cheery nature of opening with the sun would give it an association with relieving grief. In some cultures, it is a symbol of endurance, alluding to its ability to bloom for a long time.

Energetic Architecture

Ruling planet

It will not surprise you that Calendula corresponds with the sun. There are a couple of ways that you can experience that correspondence:

* Calendula, like the sun, is a radiate orange yellow disc.
* The taste is pungent and warming.
* It is used to disperse cold and damp conditions. In fact, the symptoms to which Calendula is beneficial are similar to a dreary, drizzly day when the sun hides behind clouds.

Psychologically, it is for people who have lost connection with their inner sun. Their energy levels are low, and they feel cold and rundown.

Calendula has an affinity to the solar plexus, especially the gut and liver, which are the powerhouse of energy and gently warm the body.

Elemental Rule

Out of the four elements, calendula is mostly associated with the element of water because of its effect on the inner ocean. It is an alterative and a mucosal volunaray.

Alteratives are herbs that alter fluid metabolism in the lymph, kidneys, and liver. By doing so, they improve nutrient absorption and waste product removal.

Mucusal volunraries are herbs that heal inflammed mucus membrane. Mucus membrane are found in all the hollow organs of the body, in the digestive tract, airways, urinary tract, and reproductive system, where they moisten, lubricate, and provide immune support to tissue. Calendula is a fundamental for mucosal health

Fresh calendula flowers contain high amounts of water and water soluble polysaccridhes.

Alchemical Principle

Calendula contains resins and volatile oils indicative of sulfur processes. The bright color, pungent taste, and warming, dispersing activity point to the dissipating principle of sulfur. It relates to the solar plexus and works on the soul.

 Taste

Calendula tastes bitter, especially the green underside of the flowering tops. The bitter taste points to the digestive system, the liver, and the fluid metabolism in the body.

Energetics

Warming. Calendula has a moistening effect on the mucus of the digestive tract, but overall, it has a drying effect on the organism.

Tissue state

Calendula is beneficial for cold depression and damp stagnation tissue states.

Actions

The skin, lymphatic system, immune system,liver and gallbladder, the digestive system, and the female reproductive system

Pharmacology

* Triptrepenes (bitterness, inflammation modulation).
* Flavonoids (antioxidants, inflammation modulating, wound healing)
* Carotenoids are associated with the color (wound healing).
* Resins (warming, pungent quality).
* Polysaccharides (immune effect, mucus membrane soothing).

“Geiger, who examined this plant in 1819, found gum, sugar, an amorphous, bitter body, a minute quantity of volatile oil, and a tasteless, yellow substance to which the name calendulin was applied. Calendulin is obtained by digesting the flowers and leaves of marigold in alcohol, and then evaporating the solution to the consistence of an extract. This must first be digested in ether, which dissolves a substance analogous to wax, and afterward in water. The mucilaginous substance which remains is the calendulin. It is, when dried, yellowish, translucent, and brittle; it swells up and forms mucilage with water; it dissolves in hot water, but assumes the form of jelly on cooling. It is insoluble in the diluted acids, alkaline carbonates, lime, ether, and the fixed and volatile oils, and soluble in concentrated acetic acid, diluted solutions of the caustic alkalies, and in absolute alcohol. It is not precipitated by tannin.”

~ King’s dispensatory

Clinical Pattern

Wound healing

The skin is the body’s largest organ, covering its entire external surface. The outer layer of the skin functions as a physical barrier, plays a vital role in maintaining body temperature and water balance, secretes protective sebum and sweat to regulate body temperature, and provides immune function.

Wounds breach the physical barrier, leading to infection and inflammation. The flavonoids in calendule has a double healing effect on wounds, they scavenge free radicals released due to the tissue damage, and they increase the activity of fibroblasts, a type of collagen that creates scar tissue.

“Through the cerebro-spinal vaso-motor nervous system (Burt’s fourth edition Homeopathic Materia Medica), calendula has one specific action. It induces paralysis in the arterial capillary vessels. Through it the vaso-motor nerves become partially paralyzed and the vessels become loaded with blood. From this increased irritation, which attracts a large number of white corpuscles, the adhesive quality of these corpuscles induces adhesive inflammation, as is beautifully shown in lacerated wounds and cuts where calendula is used, producing union by first intention. Calendula is best applied in a cerate.”

~ Elingwood

The coumarins in calendula are antioxidants, therefore they can protect the skin from UV radiation. Calendula flowers were found to accelerate wound healing through enhancing the blood and oxygen delivered to the wound site and encouraging the body to build new tissue.

Calendula is an emollient that supports collagen production and softens scar tissue. By reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, calendula speeds the formation of the scaffolding for scar tissue and healing.

Calendula for gut health

The epithelium of the gut is similar to the epidermal tissue of the skin. In leaky gut, gut permeability is increased due to tissue damage.

Calendula is beneficial for people with leaky gut, food intolerance, and antibacterial trauma. The common thread between those syndromes is the modern Western diet that includes processed foods, GMO foods, and an excess of simple carbohydrates.

Herbalist Paul Bergner coined the “food intolerance triangle,” where you see three types of symptoms:

* GI symptoms include bloating, gas, distention, constipation, or diarrhea.
* Musculoskeletal symptoms such as joint pain. It might also be skin symptoms such as eczema or psoriasis.
* Mood or energy symptoms: fatigue or depression.

Calendula can help restore the integrity of the gut and reduce permiability thus reducing the food intolerance triangle syndrome. The volenary and astringent qualities of Calendula will repair, tone, and restore health to the gut.

Anti-inflammatory

Calendula reduced the inflammatory compounds released by macrophages exposed to irritants by 50%. These findings support the use of calendula for the treatment of inflammation of the epithelial cells of the skin, gut, urinary tract, and reproductive system.

Hepatoprotective

The liver plays a vital role in metabolism, producing, storing, and transporting nutrients, and detoxing of endoxins, toxins created by the body’s biological process such as hormones and neurotransmitters. It also detoxes exotoxins from the food we eat, the water we drink, or the personal care products we put on our skin. The liver is a workhorse, but it might get overwhelmed if toxic overload is high.

Some research suggests that Calendula can enhance the liver’s innate protective capacity by increasing glutathione production and improving the activity of protective enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase.

Antimicrobial, Anti-viral & Anti-helmintic

Methanol extract of calendula was found to have antimicrobial and anti fungai affect compared compared with Fluconazole.

An anti-fungal study of calendula found that ethanolic extracts of calendula reduced worm activity (paralysis of the worms followed by death) at a 10 mg/mL concentration compared with the standard drug, albendazole

Calendula demonstrated an anti-viral effect when used for HIV and HSV.

A lymphatic deobstractant

The lymphatic system functions as the police station (immunity) and the garbage department (waste removal from cells and tissue). It filters interstitial fluid in the lymph nodes, where macrophages (a type of immune cell) gobble pathogens and deliver waste products.

Calendula, being a cooling, astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant that affects macrophage activity, can gently improve lymphatic flow and remove stagnation and congestion, which most likely contribute to its wound-healing properties.

Cytotoxic and Anti-Tumorigenic

In vitro and in vivo research of calendula discovered in calendula three compounds (lutein, calenduloside F 6’-O-n-butyl ester, and calenduloside G 6’-O-methyl ester) that were found to be cytotoxic to cancer cells.

At the same time, calendula oil extract was found to reduce the irritation associated with radiation treatment.

Women’s Reproductive Health

One of the classic ways calendula was used in Europe was for painful menses or to induce menses when a woman lacked them. She has a cold constitution, and she tends toward fluid stagnation, not just in her menses but systemically.

Dr Aviva Romm, MD suggest using calendula for cervical dysplasia, an abnormal growth of cells that haven’t yet become fully malignant. Calendula volunarary gift stimulates fibroblast activity, promoting healthy cell regeneration. The flavonoids and triterpenoids provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions helping reduce the chronic tissue irritation that can perpetuate abnormal cellular changes.

Being a cooling astringent, calendula can help restore the integrity of the cervix’s tissue.

Calendula and other herbs

For gut restoration, use calendula and plantain. They are best used in tea with chamomile, marshmallow leaves, and flowers. The tea will restore gastric mucus and heal inflammation and irritation in the tissue. Add some carminative herbs,peppermint, chamomile, and lemon balm. Chamomile is paired with motherwort, both bitters.

Calendula can pair well with red root for reliving lymphativ congestion. Clendula, with its affinity to the liver and lymph, and red root, with its affinity to the spleen and lymph, can be used as lead herbs in a tonic-astringent formula. Use with Echinacea, Burdock (or other bitter), Cleavers, and Cayenne.

For people who suffer from recurring colds and flu, use calendula with deep acting immune tonics such as astragalus, reishi, and codonopsis.

Preparation and dosage

Tincture dried flowers 1:5 70A:30W. Calendula contains a lot of water that will dilute the remedy too much. Dosage 1-3 drops

Topical application of powder of the flowers before infusing them in the oil.

Succus (a juice of the fresh flower). Run the flowers through a juicer. You can use the juice topically in the moment or preserve it in alcohol. (25%A)

Infusion: 3 Tbs per cup.

Powder: You are receiving a high amount of plant material directly in contact with the GI tract. Blend with other herbs to improve taste. Dosage 3-6 grams

Safety considerations

Generally a safe plant.

However, because it induces menses, avoid calendula internally during pregnancy.

A pungent, warming herb, calendula will have a drying effect; therfore avoid using it for people with a dry and hot constitution. (Or use it in a formula that will balance it)

Calendula is a great herb to grow with children. Children love the sunny, bright blossoms. They will enjoy observing the flowers’ movement as they follow the journey of the sun through the sky. Budding herbalists can learn how to harvest, dry, and prepare Calendula salve.

Herbalist Deb Soule from Maine started the “Grow a Row” project. I highly recommend looking into the project and getting involved. For more information about “Grow a Row.”

Recpies for remedies