Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Calendula!

We have a calendula flower! It looked like it was about to bloom for days, and today, it finally opened! These are commonly called pot marigolds, but are not the same as the typical marigolds. The seeds are little curlicues and the leaves look almost like big spinach plants. We are a long way from several handfuls of flowers to make calendula tincture, but I'm going to be sure to pick up some Everclear while we're in Indiana this weekend. ;) I've been buying calendula cream and tincture for years; it is great for use on burns, scrapes and diaper rash, etc., but I'm very excited to be able to make it myself!
Another great tincture I discovered last year is plantain. It is also wonderful for scrapes, cuts, and burns.
How do you do it? Fill a quart jar with calendula flowers (several handfuls), or plantain leaves (be sure wherever you collect them has not been sprayed or treated) and cover with grain alcohol. Let sit in a dark area. You may want to give a shake once in a great while. After 2-6 weeks, strain the liquid and store in a dark glass bottle. If kept out of heat and sun, this should last a long time! Dilute as needed for use.

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