Make Your Own Calendula Tea

I love to use garden-fresh calendula for a soothing tea. Calendula-based products, like super moisturizing calendula salves or dandruff-fighting calendula oils for hair, are loaded with health benefits but also tend to be gentle enough for most of us to safely enjoy.

Calendula tea is pretty mild, though slightly bitter, and it can be brewed in under 20 minutes to enjoy as a drink or steeped overnight for a stronger concoction that can be applied medicinally to the skin.

Before you make your own calendula tea, watch this quick video on how to harvest the blooms.

Benefits of Calendula Tea

Calendula is a flowering herb in the Aster, or daisy, family that has long been used in herbal medicine for its skin-healing properties. Research backs up calendula's ability to aid in healing injuries to body tissues, and this herb also has anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties that can help prevent infection. For these reasons, calendula tea is often applied externally to burns, minor wounds, rashes, and even diabetes-related ulcers.

Other calendula tea benefits include antioxidants, carotenoids, and flavonoids that can potentially help fight cancer, reduce inflammation, protect against heart disease, and ease sore muscles.

When taken internally, calendula has been shown to heal issues in the mouth, throat, and digestive tract.

Keep These Cautions in Mind Before Using Calendula for Tea

Some people note mild irritation or have an allergic reaction to calendula tea being applied to the skin. We also need more research on how calendula and other medicinal herbs affect those who are pregnant or breastfeeding before considering them safe.

It's best to just avoid calendula tea if you've had a previous reaction to calendula, if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you're taking sedatives. Consult with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

How to Make Calendula Tea

Calendula tea is super easy to make. I use the drying rack I brought out to the garden to gather the blooms in the harvest video to dry the flowers for at least one week, until there's no moisture left. Then, I pull the petals from the dried flower head.

To make the tea, follow these three simple steps:

Step One

Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried or fresh calendula flowers in a mug and pour 1 cup of simmering hot water over them. (Water is simmering when you notice small bubbles rise from the bottom of the pot. Don't use boiling water, which is when there are lots of large bubbles rising up and breaking the surface. The difference between simmering and boiling often makes a big difference when steeping teas.)

Step Two

Cover the mug with a saucer and steep for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Step Three

Strain the tea to remove the petals, which can be tossed into the compost bin. Sip and enjoy!

If you have any leftover tea, you can store it in a closed jar for one to two days in the fridge.

Note:

If you want to make a stronger tea for external medicinal use, use about 1/3 cup of dried calendula flowers in 1 cup water and leave to steep overnight.

Uses for Calendula Tea

There are so many uses for this beneficial tea.

Internal Uses for Calendula Tea

Gargle with or drink calendula tea when you have a sore throat.
Drink calendula tea to alleviate stomach ulcers.
Rinse your mouth with calendula tea to heal blisters and inflamed gums. (You can also use calendula tea for thrush, but obviously consult a doctor if this fungal infection worsens.)

External Uses for Calendula Tea

Soak clean cloths with calendula and apply to scrapes, scratches, and itchy skin as a compress.
Apply calendula-soaked cloths to a baby's skin to relieve diaper rash.
Wash acne-prone areas nightly with calendula tea to help with breakouts.
Pour calendula tea into bathwater to sooth inflamed or irritated skin.
Soak your feet in a bath of calendula tea to treat athlete's foot.
Rinse your hair with calendula tea to relieve an itchy scalp or dandruff.
Freeze calendula tea in ice cube trays, store cubes in freezer, and rub over children's boo-boos.
Apply calendula-soaked cloths to your pet's skin when they're suffering from flea bits, scratches, or itchy coats. You can also pour calendula tea into a spray bottle and spritz on a dog's hot spots.