This marigold was cultivated in England prior to 1573. The petals of the flowers are occasionally used in broths and soups in Britain and Holland and are also used for coloring butter.

The plant is described in nearly all of the early herbals and is mentioned by Albertus Magnus in the thirteenth century.

It is mildly antiseptic and prevents the formation of pus. Has the advantage over many other remedies in that it causes the scar or cicatrix to form without or with very little contraction of tissue. Favors union of fresh wounds by first intention and relieves pain to some extent.

Calendula officinalis, has been known, practically, from the beginning of documentary records in scientific or medicinal lines. A native of Eastern Asia, it is found under various names, from Japan to India, from the Orient to North America, where European colonists carried it, according to Josselyn (345), before 1670.

In the days of therapeutic darkness calendula was thought to be medicinally active, but it has no virtues beyond that of a feeble aromatic. Both the leaves and the flowers were used; but the latter were preferred, and were usually administered in the recent state in the form of tea. Dose, from fifteen to sixty grains