Calendula officinalis on 7-4-12, #108-2.
Pot Marigold, English Marigold, etc.
Calendula officinalis
Kah-LEND-yew-lah oh-fi-shi-NAH-lis
Synonyms of Calendula officinalis (12) (Updated on 11-30-23 from Plants of the World Online): Calendula aurantiaca Kotschy ex Boiss. (1845), Calendula eriocarpa DC. (1838), Calendula hydruntina Lanza (1923), Calendula officinalis var. parviflora Kuntze (1898), Calendula officinalis f. pleniflora Moldenke (1953), Calendula officinalis var. prolifera Gaudin (1829), Calendula prolifera Steud. (1840), Calendula ranunculodes Anon. (1894)(pro. syn.), Calendula santamariae Font Quer (1932), Calendula sinuata Boiss. & Gaill. (1859), Calendula sinuata var. aurantiaca (Kotschy ex Boiss.) Boiss. (1875), Caltha officinalis (L.) Moench (1794)
Calendula officinalis L. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Calendula. The genus and species were named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753.
As of 11-30-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online by Kew lists 12 species in the Calendula genus. It is a member of the plant family Asteraceae with 1,702 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.
There are many cultivars available and you can buy seeds just about anywhere seeds are sold. I bought my seeds of ‘Pacific Beauty Mixed’ from Baker Creek in the spring of 2012. I was hoping for a variety, but when they flowered they were all yellow.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Asteraceae
Type: Annual/ Perennial?
Origin: Unknown
Zones: USDA Zones 2-11
Size: 12-24” tall
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Average, well-drained soil
Water: Average water needs
Propagation: From seed
Some information says Calendula officinalis is an annual, some a herbaceous perennial. Some people also say that self-seeding annuals are perennials, which may likely be the case with this species. Since I planted my seeds in the spring of 2012 and moved from Mississippi in February 2013, I don’t know if any returned that spring or not. I do know the Calendula fizzled completely out when the temperatures rose in the summer.
They like full sun but will not last when it gets too hot. As plants decline, you can cut them back and possibly have new growth and more flowers in the fall. Plants grown in too much shade will become straggly and not flower well. Flowers should be deadheaded to encourage repeat bloom.
There are many cultivars I would like to try because photos, as you know, are worth a thousand words. Photos and descriptions from seed companies can sometimes be deceiving and when you buy a mix you never know what you will get.
I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus and species of this plant. If you notice I made an error, please let me know.
The Belmont Rooster 