Background Calendula officinalis L. (Compositae) is a Mediterranean annual plant widely used for its versatile biological activities. Objective A bibliometric study of research data conducted from 1971 to 2021 was conducted. Methods Bibliographic data was retrieved from the Scopus database and analyzed using VOSviewer and MS Excel. Polynomial regression was used to assess the annual production of research documents related to C. officinalis. Results A total of 1,252 journal articles and conference papers were published by 4,452 authors, originated from 98 countries and disseminated in 706 sources. Iran (n = 131), Brazil (n = 119), India (n = 113), Poland (n = 112), and Italy (n = 72) are the top-publishing countries. Journal of Ethnopharmacology is the top-cited journal, while Italy is the top-cited country. Steady growth was observed in the last fifty years, from 1971 to 2021. The anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and anti-microbial properties are among the most prolific studies that have been conducted on this plant. Extensive research has been carried out on antioxidant compounds, terpenes, and volatile oils. Skin care and wound healing are the most common clinical applications. Co-citation analysis, keywords co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling revealed diverse knowledge structures and intellectual dynamics. Conclusion This comprehensive bibliometric study indicates that Calendula officinalis received significant research. The structured information may help understand research trends and locate this plant's research hot spots and gaps.