Calendula Overview
| DESCRIPTION | Bright and cheerful calendulas, also called pot marigolds, look right at home in a cottage garden, herb patch, or container. Plant this easy-going annual in early spring to enjoy its flowers, which resemble daisies or chrysanthemums, until the heat of summer sets in. In regions with moderate summers, expect calendula varieties to bloom even more abundantly in fall. Add the edible blossoms to soups and salads as a colorful garnish. |
| GENUS NAME | Calendula |
| COMMON NAME | Calendula |
| PLANT TYPE | Annual |
| LIGHT | Part Sun, Sun |
| HEIGHT | 1 to 3 feet |
| WIDTH | 1 to 2 feet |
| FLOWER COLOR | Orange, Yellow |
| FOLIAGE COLOR | Blue/Green |
| SEASON FEATURES | Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom |
| SPECIAL FEATURES | Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance |
| ZONES | 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| PROPAGATION | Seed |
Best Planting Partners
Grow calendula plants with other early-season bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Pansies, sweet alyssum, and stock stand out as easy-to-grow annuals to partner with pot marigold. Pretty perennial companions include cushion spurge, candytuft, bleeding heart, lady’s mantle, and columbine.
Calendula Care Must-Knows
Plant them in average well-drained soil and full sun. Plants do best with a few hours of afternoon shade in hot climates. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date or sow seeds directly in the garden just before the last frost. Seedlings or purchased transplants can go in the ground after the last frost. Blanket the soil around young plants with a 2-inch- thick layer of mulch, then water well.
Boost the Number of Blooms
Calendula unfurls handfuls of flowers in regions with cool summer climates. Deadhead plants regularly to push this annual to produce even more blossoms. To promote compact, bushy growth, pinch back the long stems of young plants by half or more. Hot, dry summers cause this annual to languish and sometimes even die. Encourage growth through summer by watering plants regularly and cutting foliage back by half when your region experiences especially hot temperatures. Calendula will begin blooming again with gusto when temperatures cool down in early fall.
