Some herbs announce themselves through fragrance. Others win us over through flavor. Calendula and chamomile first capture our attention with flowers.
Calendula shines in shades of gold and orange. Chamomile produces small white blossoms with raised golden centers. Both belong to the daisy family, both have long histories in household herbalism, and both can help turn an ordinary garden into a place of beauty and usefulness.
Together, they offer something especially appealing: flowers that can travel from the garden to the drying basket, the kitchen and, with a little care, the teacup.
Calendula: The Gold That Followed the Sun
Calendula, Calendula officinalis, is usually called pot marigold. Despite that familiar name, it is not the same plant as the French and African marigolds belonging to the genus Tagetes.
Calendula is an old European garden flower. The word “officinalis” signals that it was historically recognized as a plant of the apothecary or medicinal storeroom. Its flowers were gathered for traditional preparations, while their color and slightly bitter flavor earned them a place in the kitchen.
Calendula petals were sometimes called “poor man’s saffron.” They could add a golden cast to butter, cheese, rice, broths and baked dishes when true saffron was unavailable or unaffordable.
That old kitchen role remains useful today. The petals can be scattered over salads, floated on soup or blended into herb butter. Their value is more visual than flavorful: the taste is mildly peppery or bitter, but their rich color makes even a simple dish feel celebratory. The University of Minnesota describes calendula petals as a slightly bitter saffron substitute used more for color than flavor. University of Minnesota Extension
Calendula also possesses a wonderfully generous nature in the garden. Pick its blossoms regularly and the plant generally responds by producing more.
The flower heads are best gathered after the morning dew has dried but before the midday sun becomes too strong. They can be used fresh or dried in a warm, shaded place with good air circulation.
When the petals are completely dry, store them away from heat, moisture and direct light. A glass jar filled with dried golden petals becomes a little reserve of summer for the colder months.
Chamomile: The Little Apple of the Herb Garden
Chamomile has one of the most recognizable fragrances in the herbal world. Its scent is frequently compared with apples, and its name is derived from Greek words commonly interpreted as “ground apple.”
Two different plants are commonly sold as chamomile:
German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is an annual most commonly grown for tea.
Roman chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile, is a low-growing perennial sometimes used as a fragrant groundcover.
Both have apple-scented flowers, but German chamomile is usually the more productive choice for the tea garden. Kew recognizes Matricaria chamomilla as an annual native across a broad region extending from North Africa and temperate Eurasia into parts of Asia. Kew Science
Chamomile has been associated for generations with the evening cup, the quiet sickroom and the household effort to settle an uneasy stomach or restless mind. That reputation has made chamomile tea nearly synonymous with comfort.
Modern research, however, does not justify treating chamomile as a proven cure for insomnia or other medical conditions. Its greatest dependable virtue may be simpler: it is fragrant, pleasant and naturally suited to a calming bedtime ritual.
Sometimes ritual itself matters.
The kettle is filled. The flowers are measured. The cup is warmed. For several minutes, we stop moving and allow the infusion to develop. Chamomile invites us to create a small boundary between the activity of the day and the stillness of evening.
Harvesting Chamomile for Tea
Chamomile flowers are ready when their white petals are fully open and the yellow centers are prominent. As the blossoms mature, the petals may begin to angle downward.
Pick them on a dry day after the dew has evaporated. The blossoms can be removed individually with the fingertips or gathered with a small chamomile rake when the planting is large enough to justify one.
Spread the flowers in a single layer on a drying screen. Do not pile them deeply, as retained moisture can encourage browning or mold.
Properly dried flowers should feel crisp and retain their pleasant fragrance. Store them in an airtight container away from light.
The University of Minnesota notes that both German and Roman chamomile flowers can be used fresh or dried for tea. University of Minnesota Extension
A Simple Garden Chamomile Tea
For one cup:
1 to 2 teaspoons dried chamomile flowers
8 ounces freshly boiled water
A few dried calendula petals, if desired
Honey or a slice of lemon, optional
Place the flowers in a covered cup or teapot. Add the hot water and steep for approximately five minutes. Strain and taste before adding honey or lemon.
Covering the cup while it steeps helps retain the aromatic compounds that otherwise escape with the steam.
Calendula petals contribute more color than flavor. A small amount will give the infusion a lovely golden appearance without overpowering chamomile’s soft apple character.
This should be approached as an enjoyable herbal beverage—not as a treatment for a medical condition.
A Flower Tea Blend from the Summer Garden
Calendula and chamomile can also form the foundation of a gentle garden tea blend:
4 parts dried chamomile flowers
1 part dried calendula petals
1 part dried lemon balm
A small amount of dried lavender, optional
Use lavender very sparingly. Too much can make the tea taste like perfume.
This blend combines the apple-like quality of chamomile, calendula’s golden color and lemon balm’s fresh citrus character. It is a way to preserve several moments of the summer garden within one jar.
Knowing What You Grow
Only flowers positively identified and grown without inappropriate pesticides should enter the kitchen.
Do not assume that every plant sold as a decorative “marigold” is calendula. Look for the botanical name Calendula officinalis.
Chamomile also has look-alikes. Purchase correctly labeled seed or plants from a reliable source and learn the distinguishing features before harvesting.
People with allergies to ragweed, chrysanthemums, daisies or related members of the aster family may also react to chamomile. Although serious reactions are uncommon, they can occur. Chamomile may also interact with certain medicines. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health recommends particular caution for people who are allergic to related plants. NCCIH: Chamomile Safety
Anyone who is pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medication, preparing for surgery or managing a significant health condition should consult a qualified healthcare professional before using concentrated herbal products.
Growing a Cup of Summer
Calendula and chamomile do not demand grand garden architecture.
They can grow along the edge of a kitchen garden, between vegetables, inside informal herb beds or in sunny containers. Their flowers attract beneficial insects, brighten the landscape and reward frequent harvesting.
Calendula gives us the color of summer sunlight. Chamomile gives us its fragrance and a reason to pause.
Perhaps that is why these two flowers have remained so beloved. They are useful without being severe, beautiful without being demanding and historical without feeling remote.
A cup of chamomile and calendula tea is not merely something we make from the garden. It is a way of sitting with the garden after the day’s work is done.
Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
and Here’s to sharing our herbal life-style with you!