Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant, a member of the Asteraceae family, just like arnica. Originating from the Mediterranean region, it can now be found in other regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is also known by other names that reflect its solar nature: "garden marigold", "sun herb", "marygold", or even "bride of the sun" as named by the German philosopher and theologian Albert the Great.
Its scientific name "Calendula" comes from the Latin "kalendae" which means "first day of the month" in the Roman calendar, named so because it blooms every month, from the end of spring to the beginning of winter in Mediterranean regions. Similarly, its vernacular name "marigold" is derived from the Latin "solsequia" meaning "who follows the sun." This refers specifically to the characteristic of its yellow-orange flowers to follow the sun's rhythm, that is, by closing in the evening and delicately reopening at the first rays of the sun (a phenomenon known as nyctinasty).
Its flowers make calendula a popular decorative plant in indoor gardens. It is also sometimes used in food, particularly as a coloring agent in place of saffron, which it closely resembles in color. Calendula extract has been valued for several years for its therapeutic properties and is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine systems, notably for treating wounds, rashes, infections, inflammations, and many other conditions.
The Egyptians and Romans of antiquity used it to treat wounds. In the Middle Ages, the Greeks employed it to address liver obstructions, snake bites, and to strengthen the heart. In the 18th century, it was used as a natural remedy for headaches, jaundice, and red eyes. The calendula plant was also an ingredient in an ointment used during World War I to treat soldiers' skin, as well as to cure measles and smallpox. Even today, this flower is used in various forms in the field of cosmetics (sunscreens, serums, balms, gels, etc.).