Calendula tea can be made with fresh or dried calendula flowers from the garden. Learn how to make calendula tea, and enjoy the benefits that this wonderful herbal drink has to offer.

What Is Calendula Tea?
Calendula tea is a herbal tea that is made with either fresh or dried calendula flowers from the calendula officinalis plant, also known as pot marigold.
The calendula plant is very easy to grow, even for the beginner gardener. A member of the daisy family, or Family Asteraceae, and Genus calendula, calendula is a beneficial herb that is a great choice for the garden, for so many reasons.
Calendula has a long history of use in herbal medicine, and these common herbs have been used as medicinal herbs throughout the ages.
The edible flowers are used in a number of natural remedies, and can also be used to make a calendula tea.
Just like other herbal teas, calendula tea can be made with flowering herbs from the garden.
The key is to harvest the flowers used for the tea at just the right stage, to make maximum use of the herbal benefits within the plant.
If you have access to these wonderful flowers, then you will be able to make this tea. All you need to do is grow a little patch of calendula in the garden, and harvest the flowers when they are ready to pick.
You can also purchase dried and prepackaged calendula flowers from many different sources, including Amazon.
This herbal plant is commonly grown in both the flower garden as well as the herb garden, and is a beautiful addition to both locations.
What Parts Of Calendula Are Used For Tea?
It is the calendula flowers which are used for making tea, either using just the petals, or alternatively the whole flower.
While other herbal teas are often made with both the flowers and leaves of the plant, and sometimes only the leaves, the calendula flowers are the plant parts which provide the herbal benefits in this case.
The petals, as well as the green base of the flower, are full of essential oils. You can observe this oil when you are drying the flowers, laid out on a piece of craft paper. The flowers will often leave an oil stain on the paper, demonstrating the high oil content within the plant.
The flowers can be harvested for tea, as well as for other culinary and herbal applications, all season long. Besides using them for tea, I also like to use the calendula flowers for calendula-infused oil, calendula salve, and calendula lip balm.
You can use the fresh calendula blossoms right away, freshly harvested from the garden. They can also be dried for later use, and used at a time when they have long disappeared from the garden.
Just a small patch of calendula will produce lots of blooms, and the plants will continue to flower all season long.
Calendula Tea Benefits
Calendula is a popular herb with many beneficial properties. The bright flowers are edible, and can be used for both internal and topical use.
Although most often used in external applications, the plant can also be consumed in the form of a tea.
Drinking calendula tea will provide you with many of the herbal benefits that the calendula plant has to offer.
This year I grew a large patch of calendula, and harvested the blooms all season long.
Calendula has long been grown for it's culinary and herbal benefits, and it was my intention to use it in a few of these different applications.
I grew the calendula for it's bright and colorful blooms, to draw beneficial insects into the garden.
I dried and preserved the flowers to make herbal tea, and as well to make a calendula-infused oil, calendula salve, calendula tincture, and an oil infused lip balm.
The fresh or dried flowers were also used to decorate cakes and cookies, as well as salads, for a beautiful and artistic garnish.
Tea made with calendula flowers contains the beneficial properties of the plant. Some of the reported health benefits include:
- anti-inflammatory effects
- anti-fungal properties
- antimicrobial properties
- antioxidant components
The calendula plant has been studied, and is reported to contain beneficial compounds and active metabolites, including carotenoids, flavonoids, terpenoids, sterols, phenolic acids, and coumarin (source). These substances contribute to the benefits of calendula tea, and it's use as a herbal remedy.
Who Should Not Drink Calendula Tea?
Certain medical conditions or treatments may preclude the use of calendula tea. Always check with your health care provider and get medical advice, to be on the safe side if you are not sure.
Just like most foods and drinks that we consume, some are not always safe for everyone.
Although calendula officinallis is listed as a food safe for human consumption by the FDA, just remember that some foods can also can cause allergic reactions in some people, including calendula, and therefore should be avoided with certain allergy profiles.
There are also some health conditions in which calendula consumption should be avoided.
This herb is reported to have an estrogenic effect, and therefore can have an effect on female hormones. If you are pregnant or breast feeding, do not use calendula tea for this reason.
Calendula can also interfere with some medications, so be sure to check with your health care provider or pharmacist before consuming calendula.
Those who should not drink calendula tea include:
- anyone with an allergy to plants in the Asteraceae family
- pregnant women or breastfeeding women, due to the estrogenic effects
- individuals who are taking sedatives or blood pressure medication
- children under 12 years of age
How To Make Calendula Tea
Calendula tea can be made with either fresh calendula flowers when in season, or with dried calendula flowers at any time of the year. The fresh flowers have a more enhanced flavor in a herbal infusion, although the same volume of petals is used for both types of tea.
Harvesting Calendula For Tea
When using fresh petals for tea, harvest them from the garden immediately before using. The flowers tend to wither fairly quickly after picking, so a fresh harvest is always best.
You can also pick some stems with mature calendula flowers, and place them in a container of water, to keep them fresh for longer. This method however will sacrifice other unbloomed flower buds, so I prefer not to take stems from the plant unless absolutely needed.
I did another post on harvesting, drying, and storing calendula, which goes into more detail about this process.
When harvesting the flowers for tea, make sure to pick the individual blooms in their prime state. Avoid flowers with withering blooms.
Pick the flowers as they are just about to open, or have just fully opened.
A morning harvest is always best if possible, after the dew has dried from the plants.
Cut the flowers from the plant just at the base of the flower itself. Place the blooms into a basket or container, and bring them inside to make your tea.
Drying Calendula For Tea
Dried calendula flowers can be used for a number of different applications, however you can set some aside in a tea cupboard, specifically to use for tea.
If you want to drink calendula tea throughout the year, it's so easy to dry the blooms and store them away for later use.
You can either pull the flower petals off of the flower, and dry only the petals, or alternatively dry the whole flower intact.
There are a number of different methods to dry calendula flowers, however probably the easiest way is to just set them aside spread out on a plate or a tray, and allow them to air dry for several weeks, until completely crispy.
Storage Guidelines
Once dried, the calendula flowers can be stored in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, and be taken out for a cup of tea whenever you like.
I like to use glass jars for storage, as they are great for display purposes. The dried flowers are decorative, and fun to display.
Store in a dark and dry location for best storage success. Dried calendula flowers will last for up to a year, and have a long shelf life. Label the storage date on the bottom of the jar to help to keep an eye on the shelf life.
How To Make Calendula Tea
Calendula tea is simple to make.
Tools You May Need:
- tea ball
- fine mesh sieve
- heat resistant tea pot with tea infuser
- clear glass double walled tea cups
Ingredients:
- hot water- 1 cup
- fresh or dried calendula flowers, or fresh or dried petals- 1 to 2 tablespoon per cup
- honey to taste (optional)
Directions:
- Boil the water for the tea.
- Pour the boiling water into your chosen container.
- If you are using a tea ball, place calendula petals into the ball, and secure it shut. Fill your tea cup with hot water, and then add the tea ball and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tea ball once the tea has finished steeping, and enjoy.
- If using a fine mesh sieve, fill a heat resistant glass with the measured amount of flowers, and add the boiling water to the glass. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then pour through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into a tea cup, to remove the flowers.
- If using a tea pot with an infuser, allow to steep for the desired time, then remove the infuser. The longer the infuser remains in place, the stronger the tea will become.
- Add honey to taste, and garnish with a few fresh or dried blooms.
- If you have leftover tea, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days in an air tight container. You can reheat the tea, or drink it cold as a refreshing iced tea drink, adding 1 teaspoon of honey for a bit of sweetness.
Calendula Tea Recipe Card
RECIPE: Calendula Tea
Calendula tea can be made with fresh or dried calendula flowers from the garden.
Tea made with calendula flowers contains the beneficial properties of the plant. Some of the reported health benefits include:
- anti-inflammatory effects
- anti-fungal properties
- antimicrobial properties
- antioxidant components
Learn how to make calendula tea, and enjoy the benefits that this wonderful herbal drink has to offer.
Ingredients
- hot water- 1 cup
- fresh or dried calendula flowers, or fresh or dried petals- 1 to 2 tablespoon per cup
- honey to taste (optional)
Instructions
- When using fresh calendula petals for tea, harvest them from the garden immediately before using.
- Boil the water for the tea.
- If you are using a tea ball, place calendula petals into the ball, and secure it shut. Fill your tea cup with hot water, and then add the tea ball and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tea ball once the tea has finished steeping, and enjoy.
- If using a fine mesh sieve, fill a heat resistant glass with the measured amount of flowers, and add the boiling water to the glass. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then pour through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into a tea cup, to remove the flowers.
- If using a tea pot with an infuser, allow to steep for the desired time, then remove the infuser. The longer the infuser remains in place, the stronger the tea will become.Add honey to taste, and garnish with a few fresh or dried blooms.
- If you have leftover tea, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days in an air tight container. You can reheat the tea, or drink it cold as a refreshing iced tea drink, adding 1 teaspoon of honey for a bit of sweetness.
Notes
Certain medical conditions or treatments may preclude the use of calendula tea.
Always check with your health care provider and get medical advice, to be on the safe side if you are not sure if the tea is contraindicated for you.
Do not drink calendula tea if:
- you have an allergy to plants in the Asteraceae family
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
- are taking sedatives or blood pressure medication
- or are under 12 years of age
This drink tastes more like a traditional herbal tea than it does a floral infusion.
The longer the drink is steeped, the stronger the flavor becomes.
The tea can tend to become ever so slightly bitter if over steeped past the 10 to 15 minute mark, or if more than the suggested amount of calendula flowers are used in the tea.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 64Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 10mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 0g
Please note: This nutritional information is an estimation only. Please calculate your exact brands and ingredients for better accuracy
Frequently Asked Questions
What does calendula tea taste like?
Calendula tea does not taste like a traditional floral tea, but rather has a black tea scent and flavor.
I love the smell of dried calendula flowers. When you open up the tea container, the flowers have a surprisingly pleasant tea aroma, right from the get go.
These dried flowers smell different than freshly picked calendula blooms, which often have a pungent odor.
As the tea begins to steep, it begins to release a lovely orange hue into the infusion, from the orange flowers.
The tea has an herbal tea flavor, similar to other teas.
This drink tastes more like a traditional herbal tea than it does a floral infusion. The longer the drink is steeped, the stronger the flavor becomes.
The tea can tend to become ever so slightly bitter if over steeped past the 10 to 15 minute mark, or if more than the suggested amount of calendula flowers are used in the tea.
Some individuals however may prefer this stronger cup of tea, with a slightly bitter taste.
The tea tastes great as an iced tea as well. Add some ice cubes and a tablespoon of honey for a refreshing iced tea, which tastes very similar to a traditional iced tea.
Can I drink calendula tea every day?
You can drink calendula tea daily, in moderate amounts, up to several cups per day.
What can I combine with calendula for tea?
Calendula tea can be made without any other ingredients added, however can also be sweetened or flavored with other combinations.
It also tastes great with a spoonful of honey, lemon, or maple syrup.
Ginger is another flavor which compliments calendula. Add ginger infused water to your calendula tea for a perfect pairing.
Combine other dried flowers with dried calendula flowers to make a mixed tea blend. It's also fun to make your own blend and to experiment with the flavors.
Add some dried chamomile or dried lavender buds to your next batch of tea, for a perfect pairing of herbs. The combination of flavors is beautiful and soothing, and absolutely delicious.
Conclusion
If you have grown calendula in your garden, consider using some of the flowers to make a herbal tea.
This tea not only tastes delicious, it also includes the herbal benefits of the calendula herb.
Calendula is such a wonderful plant to have in the garden. It's multiple benefits as a garden plant, as well as it's herbal and culinary use, make it a mainstay in our herb garden.
Make sure that it is not contraindicated for you, before using this tea. Those with allergies to plants in the same family as calendula, pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as those on certain medications should avoid this tea.
Try some calendula tea, and enjoy the wonderful flavor of this beneficial herb.
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