My grandma use chamomile for solve many problems and chamomile always was in her home.
Matricaria recutita or German chamomile, also spelled camomile, is an annual plant of the sunflower family Asteraceae. Synonyms are: Chamomilla chamomilla, Chamomilla recutita (accepted name according to the Flora Europaea), Matricaria chamomilla, and Matricaria suaveolens.
It usually grows near populated areas all over Europe and temperate Asia. It is widely introduced in temperate North America and Australia. As the seeds need open soil to survive, it often grows near roads, around landfills and in cultivated fields as a weed.
Other names include blue chamomile, wild chamomile, Hungarian chamomile, and scented mayweed.
The branched stem is erect and smooth and grows to a height of 15-60 cm. The long and narrow leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate.
The flowers are borne in paniculate capitula. The white ray florets are furnished with a ligule, while the disc florets are yellow. The hollow receptacle is swollen and lacks scales. This property distinguished German Chamomile from Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis), which has a receptacle with scales. The flowers have a strong, aromatic smell, and bloom in early to mid summer.
This calendula balm is great for those summertime bites, stings, burns and other inflammatory skin problems.
You will need: 1/2 cup dried calendula petals , 1 ounce beeswax, 1/2 cup olive oil, a sterile tin to hold your finished project.
Place the petals and oil into an oven proof dish. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the oil and herbs into the oven, then turn it off. Leave for 3-4 hours, then remove from the oven. It may need to cool for an hour or two on the counter. Once it is cool, strain out the herbs with cheesecloth. Add the beeswax to the remaining oil and put back into the oven (or you can use a microwave for this part) Heat just until the beeswax is almost melted. Then you can take it out and stir until it is all melted and combined. Pour into your prepared tins and let sit 15-20 minutes until cool.
Soothe and smooth your skin with this gentle cream.
I found this recipe not easy due its components, but maybe it will be useful for you.
4 ounces butter
2 tablespoons dried (or fresh) calendula flowers
800 IU vitamin E oil
3 drops rose otto essential oil
30 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops tincture of benzoin, optional (as a natural preservative)
Melt butter in the top of a double boiler; add calendula flowers and heat on medium setting for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture through a strainer to remove calendula flowers. Add essential oils and vitamin E oil. Pour into jar (best if the cream fills the jar); once mixture is cool, close with lid.
For a dried herb tincture, you will need 1 part Calendula flowers to 2 parts distilled water and 8 parts grain alcohol (190 proof corn grain alcohol). The first step is to grind the dried flowers into a powder with a mortar and pestle. Mix the water and alcohol together and pour over the pulverized flowers in a glass jar. Seal and shake twice a day for two weeks. Wait one day without shaking before pouring off the tincture so that particles can settle to the bottom. When they are settled, gently pour the liquid into another jar. Take the leftover material and scoop into a cheese cloth. Squeeze out all the alcohol (like you would a tea bag) into the newly strained tincture. Lastly, funnel the tincture into medicine dropper bottles.
Being a cleansing and detoxifying herb, Calendula works great for stimulating and purifying the liver.
The correct dosage is 1 to 2 mL three to four times a day.
It is also a great tonic for stomach ulcers and digestive disorders, and a gargle for canker sores in the mouth and throat.
Calendula oil
This oil has always been a grandmother. It's great for bug bites, stings, cuts, burns.
2 tablespoons dried calendula flowers & petals 16 tablespoons olive oil - any brand, clear.
In an old pot or pan place the calendula flowers and cover with the olive oil. Using the double boiler method, simmer for an hour. Repeat once or twice a day for 3 days. Let cool completely and strain the infused oil through cheesecloth. Collect the infused oil and store it in an amber or dark bottle, in a cool place.
The simplest use of calendula flowers - it's just weld Calendula as tea.
Pour one cup of boiling water over one to two teaspoons of dried calendula petals. Steep for ten minutes, then strain. By drinking two to three cups daily there will be a great improvement in blood circulation.
To help in the healing of skin wounds:
Soak a compress in Calendula Tea, and apply to the wound for 30 minutes twice daily.
Calendula can also be used to treat sore throat. Gargle with warm tea several times a day. This will help relieve the inflammation caused from the common cold.
Most of my grandmother's favorite plant is calendula. She used it very often.The plant provides a solution to many problems.
Very most favorite plant of my grandmother's is calendula.
Calendula in suspension or in tincture is used topically to treat acne, reducing inflammation, controlling bleeding and soothing irritated tissue.
Calendula, also known as marigold, is a genus of about 12-20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the area from Macaronesia east through the Mediterranean region to Iran. Calendula should not be confused with other plants that are also known as marigolds, such as plants of the genus Tagetes, corn marigolds or marsh marigolds. It is also the flower of the month October.[citation needed]
The name Calendula stems from the Latin kalendae, meaning first day of the month, presumably because pot marigolds are in bloom at the start of most months of the year. The common name marigold probably refers to the Virgin Mary, or its old Saxon name 'ymbglidegold', which means 'it turns with the sun'. Marigolds typically bloom quickly (in under two months) in bright yellows, reds, and oranges throughout the summer and well into the fall.
Marigolds are considered by many gardening experts as one of the most versatile flowers to grow in a garden, especially since it is easy to grow. Seeds sown in the spring, in most soils, will germinate freely in sunny or half-sunny locations. They do best, however, if planted in sunny locations with rich, well-drained soil. The leaves are spirally arranged, 5-18 cm long, simple, and slightly hairy. The flower heads range from pastel yellow to deep orange, and are 3-7 cm across, with both ray florets and disc florets. They have a spicy aroma and are produced from spring to autumn in temperate climates. It is recommended to deadhead (removal of dying flower heads) the plants regularly to maintain even blossom production.
Calendula is a fun and fast growing annual that is easy to germinate and simple to care for. It is a satisfying choice for kids and beginning gardeners that quickly rewards and motivates with fast and generous crops of showy flowers.
The petals, with their slight aromatic bitterness are used in fish and meat soups, rice dishes, salads, and as a coloring for cheese and butter. The whole flower was used as a garnish in medieval times.