MISSIVES FROM THE APOTHECARY
Calendula: A Power Flower
February 17, 2025
by Kamden Cornell, Old Town Herbal lead clinical herbalist and owner of Heart & Vine Apothecary
My lovely assistant in the apothecary, Jen, has been making some very nice calendula preparations, so I figured I’d put a highlight on what calendula does.
Calendula officinalis, pronounced caw-LEN-dyou-luh, is a member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family and the marigold clan. Its native origin is actually very difficult to pinpoint, as it has naturalized to so many locales that they seem to be native to almost every corner of the planet.
The flowers of calendula are usually large, showy, orange-yellow discs that exude a rich, resinous aroma like a richly spiced, herbaceous honey. The plant itself, from petals to root, is sticky, covered in an exuding, sticky sap that is where all the medicinal power resides. This stickiness is dissolvable in oil and glycerin, as well as alcohol that is 75-80% ABV or higher.
Calendula has been used for centuries to heal burns, cuts, and scratches, to cleanse deeper wounds as they heal, to help with cases of conjunctivitis, and to moisturize and protect sensitive skin. It has also been used as a tea to help with symptoms of IBS, bloating, ulceration in the GI tract, heartburn, and a slew of other things. It is a powerful source of free-radical scrubbing agents and current research shows potential for anti-cancer medications made with this plant.
Currently we have a few products made with calendula, including a calendula tincture, a calendula oil, a calendula salve, the Calendula & Rosemary Tallow Balm and calendula flower itself! We also make a Baby Booty Balm and Nipple Cream, both of which have calendula in them. Several herbal tea blends we make with calendula including the Pain Killer Tea, Frau Perchta’s Winter Skincare Tea, BusyBee Flower Tea, Song of Solomon Ligament & Joint Health Tea and ResilienTea.
Our in-house offertory incense for Hekate is also made with calendula, as the flower, especially in this part of the US and down through Central and South America, are associated with death, connections to ancestors, and the caretaking of ghosts.
When I first learned about calendula with my mentor, Bernadette, she taught me about the calendula as a balancer, especially for the masc/femme principles within all of us. The flower is a huge solar disc, a mini sun, but the seeds, which are usually present and maturing even while the flower is blossoming, are shaped like crescent moons. The masc and femme together at once, balancing each other, nurturing each other. If you’re feeling out of balance (which we ALL are, regardless of personal philosophy, because that’s the world we live in) and you’d like a chance to come into better balance, consider a flower essence of calendula or simply drinking a meditative cup of tea every day. You can also use the petals in charms meant to bring a sense of personal centering, too.
Calendula is also used in a number of other ways in magic, particularly as a way to attract money, especially for luck gambling, but also wealth generally. They tend to bring surprise increments of money, too. Because they resemble big, gold coins, they make good offerings for the dead, not only during Dia de los Muertos, but all year on your ancestor altar. Because they resemble suns, calendula can be used to help with guidance and finding your path, so can be useful as an addition to road opening and blockbusting workings. Like chamomile, calendula can be used to empower spells, too, bringing greater power and greater results. In court cases, think of calendula when you need a touch of luck, you need energy to move the process along, you need light shone on a particular matter that isn’t being addressed, or when money is involved (to make sure you get what you’re owed!). Remember to use your favorite divination method for details in court case work, to make sure that you or who you are working for are actually in the right, because you don’t want calendula to help your opposition by accident!