Marigold is an ancient, medicinal herb with many medicinal properties and uses; it is a brightly colored Summer flower.

Few herbs have a more sunny and cheerful disposition than the humble Marigold. Their orange yellow flowers look like little herbal suns. No wonder one of the vernacular names for Marigold is â''Maidens of the Sunâ''. Nor is it a surprise that Culpeper gives the astrological rulership to the Sun in Leo. Just looking at them confers an infectious â''joie de vivreâ'', which Culpeper praises as their ability to â''gladden the heartâ''. Marigold is quite a miracle herb, but since it is such a common garden flower it receives scant attention as a medicinal herb. Marigold is a well loved garden plant, though some people resent its tendency to spread and consider it invasive. However, as a garden plant, Marigold protects other herbs and plants against fungal infections and insect attacks. It also provides cheer throughout the year - at least in mild climates, where it flowers almost all the year round until the frost kills it. But as soon as spring arrives it revives and its sunny flowers are unstoppable once again, except on rainy days when they stay closed. This is why the Romans called this herb â''Calendulaâ'' - in their mild climate it spread its cheer for the entire duration of the calendar year.