Calendula officinalis

Calendula officinalis, “Pot calendula” or “Ruddles” in English, “Souci” in French, belongs to the Asteraceae botanical family.

Probably native to southern Europe, it is a 0.6 m high herb, widely cultivated in gardens and growing as a garden escape on waste, cultivated and arable land, and along roadsides.

It is above all a remedy for skin problems, applied externally to bites and stings, sprains, wounds, sore eyes and varicose veins. It is also a cleansing and detoxifying herb, taken internally for treatment of fevers and chronic infections.

Its main constituents are carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, fatty acids, carotenoids (lycopene), terpenoids, flavonoids (calendoflavoside), quinones and coumarins (scopoletin, umbelliferone, esculetin).

  • English name Goldbloom
  • French name Souci
Calendula officinalis