This year’s Calendula Flowers blooming in my garden.
I must admit that I’m a girl who loves her bling, which is probably why I am so stoked that the calendula flowers in my veggie garden are finally starting to bloom. They don’t have any particular fragrance and their flavour is nothing to speak of, but their clipped petals scattered over a soon to be consumed menu item provide a confetti of vibrant orange and yellow that thrills me to no end.
A member of the daisy family, the name Calendula stems from the Latin word kalendae, meaning first day of the month, presumably because pot marigolds are in bloom at the start of most months of the year. This is uncanny, as this year’s bumper crop began to sport its blossoms last Saturday, the 5th of June.
As for its medicinal effects, calendula extracts have been found to have anti-viral, anti-genotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also used topically in tinctures to treat acne, reduce inflammation, control bleeding and to sooth irritated tissue and dermatitis.
Thus far, I have enjoying this dynamic daisy strictly for its garnish factor. The Casesar Salad photo below is of a recipe from Day 95 of my 100 Day Raw Challenge last summer. See how much fun a salad can be? Other edible flowers that I enjoy are chive blossoms, nasturtiums and lavender blossoms….. but none quite so much as the calendula.
Zingy Caesar Salad
