Calendula Healing Salve

I grow tons of Calendula in my garden. Every day during summer, I harvest a basket of Calendula blossoms, dehydrate them and add them to my ever-growing jar of dried Calendula blooms. This jar (it’s huge) will serve all of our Calendula needs for the entire year. As I harvest the flowers, I also harvest seed so that I will have more to plant the next year.

Why go to all this effort? Because Calendula is used in so very many of my recipes, tinctures, salves, creams, soaps and teas. It is an amazing healer!

 

According to Mountain Rose Herbs:

“Calendula is an annual flower native to the northern Mediterranean countries. It has historically been used as a food, adding flavor to cereals, rice, and soups. The petals can be added to salads for their brilliant color. As recently as 70 years ago, American physicians used calendula to treat amenorrhea, conjunctivitis, fevers, cuts, scrapes, bruises, and burns, as well as minor infections of the skin. Calendula creams and washes are still used to disinfect minor wounds and to treat infections of the skin. The antibacterial and immunostimulant properties of the plant make it extremely useful in treating slow-healing cuts and cuts in people who have compromised immune systems. The herb stimulates the production of collagen at wound sites and minimizes scarring. Gargling calendula water may ease sore throat. Because of the vivid and brilliant color of calendula, it was thought to possess powers for the protection and benefit of humans… An often overlooked application of this herb is the treatment of post-mastectomy lymphedema. The herb will not reduce swelling, but it will reduce pain.” 

 

Recently, I have prescribed my Calendula Salve for skin healing, eczema, stretch marks, baby belly, diaper rash, cuts, scrapes and burns.

This salve is a vibrant orange, the more colour extracted from the flowers, the more potent the medicine.

Calendula Healing Salve

• 1 cup Calendula-infused oil (olive oil for medicinal salve, almond oil for cosmetic salve) Infused Oil Recipe
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 20 drops Lavender essential oil

In a double boiler (or a pot nestled in a larger pot filled with a bit of water) over medium heat, add the oil and beeswax.
Stir until the beeswax melts and is fully incorporated.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a moment.
Add the essential oil. Stir.
Pour into clean and sterilised jars.

 

Medicinal Actions:

Calendula: Vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immune stimulant, antifungal, antiviral, cholagogue, diaphoretic, lymphatic, antispasmodic, emmanagogue