Tag Archives: Calendula officinalis

Harvesting Calendula

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It has been a hot dry summer in New York, especially in Trumansburg, where we’ve experienced record low since May. This obviously adds a lot of stress on our green friends. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) appears to be fairing better than others and kindly provides ground cover for the garden, keeping the soil from drying out and supporting the garden as a whole.

calendula

Calendula blossom

I just have to say this ~ I love our radiant Calendula! It is such a treat to have in the garden. Although, it’s technically an annual and needs to be sowed each year, once you have planted it, you never have to do it again. Each year, they self sow, bringing joy and sunshine. When I started to harvest the blossoms, I was delighted to feel my fingers sticking together, covered in bright yellow petals. I love when this happens. It is sticky due to the resin that forms on the bracts (the green base of the flower head). The stickier your fingers get, the more medicinally potent the blossoms are. I suspect the lack of rain inspired the Calendula to develop and concentrate more resins.

very sticky

very sticky

Calendula has a long history of medicinal use dating back to the ancient Egyptians. You know an herb has been used medicinally for a very long time when “officinalis” or a derivative of it is its species name. Basically, officinalis means that it was deemed an official herb of the apothecaries. Carl Linnaeus the “Father of Taxonomy” classified over 60 plants with the species name officinalis, officinale or officinarum in the 1700s for their medicinal uses.

When most people think of Calendula, they think soothing. Hey, I have a whole product line named Soothe Thy…. with you guess it ~ Calendula as a primary ingredient! Just look at all the skin care products in your local health food store; I bet you will find Calendula listed as an ingredient in the majority of them. The reason it is a fantastic ingredient for soothing and healing the skin is due to its anti-inflammatory, vulnerary (promotes healing of damaged tissue), bacteriostatic (instead of killing the bacteria it inhibits its growth), immune stimulating (a fabulous combination) and anti-fungal properties.

In addition, the properties that make it healing and soothing to wounds and skin irritations can help heal problems experienced internally.  Not only is it an anti-inflammatory for the skin it also reduces and soothes inflammation of the mucus membranes, more specifically the digestive system. Drinking Calendula tea reduces inflammation and helps heal peptic ulcers, esophageal irritation from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).  Gargling with tea Calendula soothes sore throats, canker sores, periodontal disease, thrush, sore and bleeding gums.

Calendula is also a lymphagogue, it stimulates the lymph system and helps it from being stuck or stagnated. It reduces inflammation of the lymph nodes by mobilizing white blood cells and stimulating lymphatic drainage. Keeping lymph moving is key to supporting the body’s immune system. Taken internally and applied externally will clean wounds from the inside out through the lymph system. A treat during long winter days is to add blossoms to soups and simmer all day long; this will support the immune system and bring some sunshine during those dark days.

When harvesting blossoms, the best time is on a dry sunny day, after the dew has burned off and the blossoms are completely dry. Remember the stickier the better. I dry them on a screen out of direct sunlight. The screen is elevated so there is airflow. After a week, if they appear to be dry, I put them in a paper bag for another week. It is critical to make sure all the moisture is gone before you store them in a glass jar. No one wants moldy flowers. If stored well, dried Calendula blossoms will retain their vibrant color and are good for 6 months to a year. Some people freeze them, giving them access to fresh blossoms all year long.

Bees love them too

Bees love them too

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Lack of attention and rain on the land

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I am finally home for a while after being away for most of July.  I do love traveling, but ever since I started traveling in April, I have missed more than my share of significant events on the land. Sure, you can’t be around for every blossom but this year was incomparable. As with all things, life carried on without me but my lack of presence on the land was quite apparent. Even though, I regularly declare that I am not a farmer/gardener but a forager; if truth be told I am actually the caretaker or perhaps steward of the land. I watch, observe and support when needed.  During my absence many of my beloved plants carried on, bloomed while others did not fair as well. The Finger Lakes, in particular Trumansburg had almost no rainfall since May, especially during my absence and it has taken a noticeable toll on the land.

As I walked the land, it clearly evolved differently than in other years. Some of my favorites were sparse while others flourished. I wonder how each factor: scarcity of rain, lack of mowing and my absence may have played a part in it all. Besides not mowing, I wasn’t there to deadhead and remove all the dried out parts, which were in great supply. Regardless the land was obviously stressed and employing various coping mechanisms.

Calendula

Calendula

Echinachea

Echinachea

Beebalm

Bee Balm

My little medicinal garden had radically changed since I left on July 2nd.  The Calendula (Calendula officinalis) started to take over the garden like usual and luckily provided a nice ground cover keeping some moisture in the soil. Nevertheless, without my attention by deadheading and some rain, the Calendula became very tall, thin and noticeably frail. This allowed the Echinacea (Echinacea, spp.)  to thrive along with the Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) creating a nice balance between the three.

Last fall I experimented with harvesting Echinacea’s roots while leaving the crown intact and replanting it. The crown is the part of the root system that separates the branches of roots from where the stem emerges. I left about an inch and half and replanted it immediately. I am thrilled to say that it really worked even under these stressful conditions. The Echinacea came back and is now thriving. I had always believed that I needed to say goodbye to the plants when I harvested their roots. Thank goodness, I was mistaken.

Although, there are plants surviving and some even thriving, sadly others barely had the strength to fully bloom. Some didn’t develop any blossoms; requiring too much energy so perhaps they are saving it up for next year.  I have always tried to harvest herbs during periods of abundance and thankfully have enough in my apothecary to share throughout the coming year without harvesting this year. Unfortunately, I did miss some of my favorites or could only find a very limited number of vibrant fresh blossoms as many had already gone to seed. That is just one of the challenges involved when working in concert with Mother Nature.

What changes have you noticed on your land this year? Please share and I will continue to share.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.