By Goldie Brown, Airmid by Morgaine du Mer
Merry Meet, Broomstix friends! Airmid the Fey here again with another useful plant for you. This time it's marigolds for Midsummer, so sit back and let's find out why this is the perfect flower for this time of the year.
First of all, when I talk about marigolds I mean the ones that grow nicely in pots as well as in the garden, also known as English marigolds or common marigold. Their botanical or scientific name is calendula officinalis. These are not to be confused with the wild marigold, Tagetes, which was sacred to the Aztecs and whose petals are strewn on the graves of loved ones during the Mexican Day of the Dead.
My marigolds are the true pot-marigolds, the ones Shakespeare called "flowers of Middle Summer" because they are at the peak of their blooming right about now. These plants first grew in the Mediterranean area ages ago, and now they brighten up the Summer in all parts of the world. The name "marigold" probably came from the old Saxon word 'Ymbglidegold' (try saying that ten times fast!) which means "it turns with the sun."
They are one of the easiest flowers to grow because they like any kind of soil and will flourish in sunshine or shade. If you have Calendula growing in your garden now, be sure to keep picking off the flower heads as soon as they get seedy if you want them to keep blooming. Marigolds are good self-seeders but there's always a chance they may just die off when they go to seed. If you've missed the Spring planting, you'll have another chance to sow Calendula in late August or early September for fall flowering. If you don't have a garden, you can plant the seeds in pots.
There are a lot of old stories about marigolds. In Brittany, there's a folk belief that if a maiden touches a marigold with her bare foot, she'll understand the language of birds. The flower is thought by many to be the herb of love and clairvoyance. In Welsh folklore, if the Calendula flower did not open before seven, it was an omen that there would be thunder that day. In Devon and Wiltshire, they believed that if you picked marigolds, thunder would soon follow. In astrology, this cheery golden flower is a Sun-blessed plant and goes with the sign of Leo. It was thought in the olden times that simply looking at a marigold would banish anyone's sadness.
But let's get back down to earth and see why Calendula is really so useful to us, especially in Summertime. For at least seven centuries, people have been using it as medicine, most often in oil applied directly to the skin. And this makes it the perfect summertime herb because its petals can be made into either salve or tea to heal the most common skin irritations for this time of year--namely bug bites, sunburn, chapped lips, cuts and bruises, or just dry itchy skin. It's even good for diaper rash! Calendula tea is a good mouthwash for sore gums or a toothache, and you can gargle with it to soothe a sore throat. The petals are what to use for making salve or tea, since they are full of stuff called flavonoids which are plant-based anti-toxins that protect your body against viruses, inflammations and bacteria. Marigolds are also rich in Vitamin C and phosphorus.
You can get ready-made Calendula salve, gel or cream in pharmacies or health food stores. Or you can easily make your own.
The flowers should be gathered early in the day, when in full bloom, after the dew is dried but before the sun soaks up all the essential oils. They can be dried whole, but dry faster if the petals are pulled off, separated and spread out to air-dry. Mix in a new handful of petals every few days until you have enough. The dried petals can be saved in a dark-colored glass jar and stored in a cool, dark place to use whenever you want.
To make Sun-Soaked Midsummer Marigold Salve, you'll need the help of an adult and these ingredients:
1/4 cup dried Calendula flowers
1/2 cup exta virgin olive oil
1/8 cup grated beeswax
40 drops lavender essential oil
Put the dried flowers into a pint sized canning jar. Add oil and stir well. Cover with tight lid and set on sunny windowsill. When the oil turns a deep golden color, usually in about 2 weeks, strain the oil through several layers of cheesecloth or fine linen. Then, combine the oil with grated beeswax in a small, heavy saucepan. Heat gently to melt wax. Add lavender oil. Carefully pour mixture in widemouth glass jars, let cool, then cover tightly with a lid. Store in a cool dark place and it will be good for a year. Keep some salve in your first-aid kit or medicine cabinet.
To make tea, just steep a heaping teaspoon of dried flowers in a cup of hot water. Strain. Use as a mouthwash, gargle, or soak a clean cloth in the tea and dab gently on the skin. No need to rub it in.
CAUTION: Since Marigolds are in the same family as daisies, chrysanthemums and ragweed, DO NOT use them if you have allergies to these other plants or anything in the Aster family because you could break out in a rash! Also, do not apply the salve to open wounds or to stitches. If a wound is oozing, don't use the salve, but you may gently apply Marigold tea.
Marigold is used for healing but some people eat the petals too. They add a pretty dash of color to salads. And by the way, this plant is the official 2008 Herb of the Year.
Until next time, have a fun and healthy Summer! Bright blessings from your Worts'n'All fairy friend!
--Airmid
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