Calendula officinalis, also known as marigold, makes for a great plant to include in your home garden. First of all, it is very easy to grow, and offers brilliant orange and yellow flowers with a unique and pungent aroma. There are many varieties of this beloved annual herb. Besides just looking beautiful and being simple to grow, there are a handful of useful things you can do with these plants.
Tip: Be sure when growing any plant for herbal use,
that they have been organically grown without exposure to pesticides and pollutants.
Place them on your salads, cupcakes, and devilled eggs. Or freeze them into beautiful floral ice cubes to dress up a drink!
Other plants that help detract pests from neighboring vegetables include: mint, geranium, and oregano. Click here to read a list of more deterring plants.
Garden experts suggest a barrier netting and fences is the most effective way to keep hungry rabbits and deer away, but having a dog in the backyard, pruning overgrown shrubs that act as hiding spots, and growing aromatic flowers such as marigolds can help.
Calendula can be very easily infused into an oil to make an effective skin serum for scrapes, bug bites, itching, and inflammation. It is also great for improving the look of skin, and can be applied to wrinkles and age spots. Click here to learn how to turn your marigold flowers into an infused oil: Calendula Skin Serum Recipe.
Note, those allergic to other plants of the Asteraceae family, such as daisies and chamomile, may also be susceptible to having a reaction to marigolds.
4/11/18