Calendula officinalis
The word calendula comes from the Latin calens (the same root as calendar), meaning the first day of the month, because the Romans thought that this was when the plant bloomed.
Family Asteraceae
Description:  Annual flower that does best in the cooler months.  Has bright cheerful yellow to orange blooms all thru winter
Habitat: Calendula is a great addition to winter gardens in Central texas.  I seed it al thru winter and into early spring.  It usually gets beaten back by the heat, which can happen as early as May or as late as July, depending on our temperatures and rainfall.  In the city, it has done fine for me thru freezes with no protection, but further outside of town may need some protection if there is a hard freeze
Harvest: All parts of calendula can be used but the flowers are the most sought after.  They can be picked and dried as the produce blooms, and this actually encourages more growth so don’t feel bad about picking them
Historical Use:  Calendula is well known and loved throughout history for healing the spirit and for topical wounds or irritations.  It has many benefits, being mildly immune stimulating, antifungal, anti-infective and helpful to better healing of wounds.  
I always think of it as a great remedy for children, being very safe and gentle
Preparations: Calendula can be extracted into oil and turns a brilliant orange when done well that can be used to treat topical irritations on the skin from diaper rash to burns.  It can be used as a tea or wash externally, internally is helpful for healing things like stomach ulcers and can even be used in tincture form.

Clinical Use: I use Calendula in many of my salve and oil preparations to help heal injuries.  I also enjoy it as a tea in the winter months to lift the spirits