What Is Calendula? Benefits, Uses & Herbal Skin Care Guide

What Is Calendula? Benefits, Uses & Scientific Research

Calendula (Calendula officinalis), commonly known as pot marigold, is a bright yellow-to-orange flowering herb belonging to the Asteraceae, or daisy, family. For generations, calendula flowers have been valued in traditional herbal practices, particularly in preparations designed for the skin.

Today, calendula remains a popular botanical ingredient in herbal oils, salves, creams, soaps, lotions, teas, and other plant-based preparations. Its flowers contain naturally occurring plant compounds such as flavonoids, carotenoids, triterpenoids, saponins, and volatile oils that continue to attract scientific interest.

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What Is Calendula?

Calendula is an aromatic flowering plant best known by the botanical name Calendula officinalis. It produces distinctive yellow and orange flowers resembling daisies or small marigolds.

Although calendula is frequently called "marigold," it should not be confused with plants belonging to the Tagetes genus, which are also commonly called marigolds. Medicinal and herbal calendula products generally refer to Calendula officinalis.

The flower is the portion of the plant most commonly used in traditional herbal preparations. Dried or fresh calendula flowers may be infused into oils, incorporated into topical preparations, or prepared as herbal infusions.

Calendula has also been used as a food and medicinal plant. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew identifies Calendula officinalis as a member of the Asteraceae family and recognizes its uses for both food and medicine.

Where Does Calendula Come From?

Calendula has strong historical associations with the Mediterranean region. According to Kew's Plants of the World Online, the native range of Calendula officinalis is the western Mediterranean, with Spain identified within its native distribution.

Over time, calendula became widely cultivated and introduced throughout Europe and numerous other regions of the world.

Its popularity as an ornamental flower also helped calendula spread far beyond its original geographic range. The plant grows primarily in temperate environments and may be cultivated as an annual or biennial.

Calendula's long history of cultivation has helped establish it as both a garden flower and a recognizable botanical used in traditional herbalism.

How Is Calendula Used?

Calendula is particularly well known for topical applications. Its flowers may be steeped or extracted to create preparations intended for external use.

Common calendula preparations include:

  • Calendula-infused oils

  • Herbal salves and balms

  • Creams and lotions

  • Herbal soaps

  • Body butters

  • Skin-care products

  • Herbal washes

  • Compresses

  • Herbal teas and infusions

  • Botanical extracts

One of the most traditional methods is calendula-infused oil. Dried calendula flowers are infused into a carrier oil, allowing oil-soluble plant constituents to become incorporated into the finished preparation. The resulting oil can then be used alone or as an ingredient in balms, salves, soaps, creams, and other topical products.

Calendula's long-standing association with skin care is one reason the herb continues to appear in modern botanical cosmetic and personal-care formulations.

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What Are the Benefits of Using Calendula?

Calendula has been traditionally valued primarily for supporting the skin. Modern research has investigated several of these traditional applications, although the strength of scientific evidence varies depending on the particular use and preparation.

Supports Healthy-Looking Skin

Calendula is commonly incorporated into natural skin-care products intended to condition, moisturize, and maintain healthy-looking skin.

Its botanical constituents make it particularly well suited for herbal oils, creams, salves, lotions, and similar topical preparations.

Supports the Skin's Natural Recovery Processes

Perhaps the most researched traditional application of calendula is its use in preparations associated with minor wounds and skin recovery.

A systematic review examining Calendula officinalis flower extract found some evidence supporting beneficial effects in wound healing. However, results varied between studies, and researchers emphasized the need for larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials.

For this reason, calendula is better described as an herb being studied for its potential role in supporting normal skin-repair processes rather than as a treatment for wounds or medical skin conditions.

Provides Naturally Occurring Antioxidant Compounds

Calendula contains several naturally occurring botanical compounds, including flavonoids and carotenoids.

Antioxidants help protect cells against oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The presence of these compounds is one reason calendula continues to receive attention in botanical and cosmetic research.

Traditionally Used to Soothe the Skin

Calendula has a long history of use in preparations intended for dry, delicate, or irritated skin.

Modern laboratory research has examined how calendula extracts interact with processes involved in inflammation and skin repair. These findings help researchers better understand why calendula became such a popular ingredient in traditional herbal skin preparations.

Supports Natural Botanical Skin Care

Calendula can also provide a botanical alternative for people interested in incorporating plant-based ingredients into their personal-care routine.

Calendula-infused oils, soaps, balms, and body-care products are commonly combined with other botanical ingredients such as aloe, chamomile, lavender, plant oils, and essential oils.

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What Natural Compounds Are Found in Calendula?

Researchers have identified numerous phytochemicals within Calendula officinalis.

These include:

  • Flavonoids

  • Carotenoids

  • Triterpenoids

  • Saponins

  • Glycosides

  • Sterols

  • Volatile oils

  • Amino acids

  • Other naturally occurring plant compounds

The vibrant yellow and orange colors of calendula flowers are associated in part with their carotenoid content.

Scientists continue to investigate how these compounds may contribute to calendula's antioxidant activity and its traditional use in topical botanical preparations.

Calendula and Natural Skin Care

Calendula has become especially popular within natural skin-care formulations because it can be infused into oils and incorporated into numerous types of products.

You'll commonly find calendula in botanical formulations designed to cleanse, condition, moisturize, or soften the skin.

This makes calendula particularly versatile. Rather than requiring an isolated calendula product, the herb can be combined with other botanical ingredients as part of a comprehensive natural body-care routine.

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Scientific Research on Calendula

Calendula's traditional applications have encouraged researchers to investigate its phytochemistry and biological activity.

Calendula and Wound-Healing Research

A 2019 systematic review published in Wound Repair and Regeneration examined 14 studies involving Calendula officinalis flower extract, including seven animal experiments and seven clinical trials.

Researchers found some evidence suggesting beneficial effects on wound-healing processes. However, findings varied considerably depending on the type of wound and study.

The authors concluded that larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed before firm conclusions can be made about calendula's effectiveness.

Laboratory Research on Skin Cells

A laboratory study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology evaluated several calendula flower extracts using human keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts—cell types important to skin structure and repair.

Researchers investigated the extracts' effects on biological processes associated with inflammation and wound healing.

Research of this type is useful for identifying possible biological mechanisms, but laboratory findings do not automatically demonstrate the same effects in humans.

Research on Calendula's Plant Compounds

Scientific reviews of Calendula officinalis have identified numerous biologically active compounds, including flavonoids, triterpenoids, carotenoids, saponins, glycosides, sterols, and volatile oils.

Researchers have investigated these compounds for antioxidant and inflammatory-response-related activities, among several other potential biological effects.

However, much of this research remains preliminary. Findings from laboratory, animal, or early clinical research should not be interpreted as proof that calendula can prevent, treat, or cure a disease.

Recent Research

Scientific interest in calendula continues. A more recent review examining studies published between 2020 and 2025 evaluated experimental and clinical research concerning Calendula officinalis and wound healing.

The continued research demonstrates the scientific interest surrounding calendula's traditional applications while also highlighting the importance of further high-quality human clinical trials.

Is Calendula the Same as Marigold?

Calendula is often called pot marigold, but not every plant called a marigold is calendula.

True calendula used in herbal preparations is generally Calendula officinalis, belonging to the genus Calendula.

Many common garden marigolds belong to an entirely different genus called Tagetes. Although both plants belong to the Asteraceae family and may produce yellow or orange flowers, they should not automatically be considered interchangeable.

When purchasing calendula for herbal preparations, look for the botanical name Calendula officinalis.

Which Part of Calendula Is Used?

The flowers are the primary part of Calendula officinalis used in herbal preparations.

They may be harvested and dried for later use or processed while fresh, depending on the intended preparation.

Calendula flowers are commonly used to make:

  • Herbal oils

  • Extracts

  • Teas

  • Salves

  • Balms

  • Creams

  • Soaps

  • Cosmetic formulations

Using the botanical name on ingredient labels can help consumers distinguish Calendula officinalis from other plants commonly called marigolds.

Calendula Safety and Precautions

Calendula has a long history of traditional use, particularly in topical preparations, but natural does not necessarily mean appropriate for everyone.

Individuals who are sensitive or allergic to plants in the Asteraceae family—including daisies, chrysanthemums, ragweed, and related plants—should use caution with calendula products.

Avoid applying herbal preparations to serious burns, deep wounds, infected wounds, or unexplained skin conditions without appropriate medical guidance.

People who are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, managing a medical condition, or considering concentrated calendula supplements should speak with a qualified healthcare professional before use.

Calendula and an Herbal Wellness Lifestyle

Calendula illustrates how traditional herbal knowledge and modern botanical research can intersect. Its centuries-old reputation as a skin-care herb has led researchers to investigate the phytochemicals and biological mechanisms that may help explain some of its traditional uses.

At the same time, responsible herbal education requires distinguishing traditional use and preliminary research from established medical evidence.

For people interested in incorporating plant-based products into their lifestyle, God's Way Herbs offers premium herbal health supplements, herbal teas, tinctures, and natural personal care products designed to complement everyday wellness.

Browse Shop All God's Way Herbs or explore the Natural Personal Care Collection to discover additional herbal and botanical products.

References & Scientific Sources

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online: Calendula officinalis L.
Botanical classification, distribution, native range, and general plant information.
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/187894-1

Givol O, Kornhaber R, Visentin D, Cleary M, Haik J, Harats M. A Systematic Review of Calendula officinalis Extract for Wound Healing.
Wound Repair and Regeneration. 2019;27(5):548–561.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31145533/

Dinda M, et al. In Vitro Studies to Evaluate the Wound Healing Properties of Calendula officinalis Extracts.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27956358/

An Updated Review on the Multifaceted Therapeutic Potential of Calendula officinalis L.
Review of calendula phytochemistry, traditional applications, biological activity, and clinical research.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37111369/

An Update of Phytotherapeutic Advances of Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) in Wound Healing.
Review examining recent experimental and clinical research on calendula and wound-healing processes.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12656484/

Educational Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Herbal products and dietary supplements should not replace professional medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before using herbal supplements, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.