Calendula Herb

Harvesting Calendula

You will want to harvest the calendula flower when it is newly opened.

You can dry either the whole flower, or as the petals by themselves.

Using Calendula

In the garden, Calendula produces quite and abundance of attractive, double, lemon yellow blossoms. Sometimes they can be a buttery yellow color. It blooms from summer through fall. The bright green leaves (shaped like a spoon), are aromatic. They look good in flowerbeds, borders and containers.

For culinary use, calendula flowers are edible, and a great addition to salads and sandwiches.

In the past, calendula flower petals have been used for a bright yellow dye. You can also use the flowers for potpouri. Calendula tea has also been used as a hair rinse for brightening natural blond highlights.