Calendula

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

Garden Plans For Calendula

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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.

Find more beautiful fall annuals here.

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.

Learn more about pruning here.

More Varieties of Calendula

Plant Calendula With:

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