Family: Compositae
Genus: Tagetes (Tribe: Helenieae)
Species: species.
See also POT MARIGOLD
(i) General background on the plant
An aromatic annual herb, native to South Africa. It grows to 60cm . Leaves are pinnatifid with the lobes being connected by the lamina and the midrib, dotted or shallowly pitted with glands and are opposite. Flowers are vivid orange and similar in structure to daisies with deep brown centres.
Marigold is found growing wild in waste places and cultivated ground in southern Europe where it is locally naturalised. It is cultivated in temperate regions around the world as an ornamental or as a medicinal plant for its essential oils.
(ii) Details of quality characteristics
The key constituents are triterpenes. resins, bitter glycosides, volatile oil, sterols, flavonoids, mucilage and carotenes. Marigold is antiseptic, some constituents are antifungal (resins), antibacterial and antiviral. It also astringes the capillaries , which explains its effectiveness for cuts, wounds , varicose veins and various inflammatory conditions. Above all, marigold is a remedy for the skin, providing effective treatment for most minor skin problems including eczema, acne, sunburn, cuts and grazes, fungal conditions, minor burns. When taken internally marigold infusion helps inflammatory problems of the digestive system such as ulcers and colitis. It may also be used to treat liver and gallbladder problems.
Marigold is also used a source of dye. When used with chrome as the mordant, an orange dye is produced, using alum as the mordant yields a yellow dye and with copper, a green dye is obtained.
(iii) Current production and yields
(iv) Constraints upon production
Seems to be widely adapted to growth in milder European climates.
(v) Markets and market potential
As for Pot Marigold, it is also one of the most well known and versatile herbs in Western herbal medicine.
(vi) Other information
Marigold is easily propagated from seed and it flourishes in most soils. The flowers for herbal / dyeing applications are harvested as they open in early summer and are dried.
See the following pages in the NF-2000 Database
Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)
FAIR-PL97-3713 - Calendula as agronomic raw material for industrial applications (Carmina)
(vii) Contacts
(viii) References
Chevalier, A. (1996). Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley.
Tutin, T.G., Burges, N.A., Chater, A.O., Edmondson, J.R., Heywood, V.H.,Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. and Webb, D.A. Flora Europaea (second edition). Cambridge University Press.
Zoebelein, H. (1997). Dictionary of Renewable Resources. Weinheim.