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Calendula officinalis
Also called Scotch Marigold, Garden Marigold, Calendula, Marigold, Scottish Marigold, Ruddles
Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) is a cheerful, easy annual or short-lived perennial in the daisy family, with yellow or orange flowers. It grows best in full sun in well-drained soil, and deadheading keeps it blooming.
Calendula officinalis, Mary's gold, common marigold, the pot marigold, Scotch marigold, or ruddles, is a flowering plant in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is probably native to southern Europe, but its long history of cultivation makes its precise origin unknown, and it is widely naturalised. The florets are edible and the plant has historically been used as medicine.
The names marigold and Mary's gold were given by the English people to honour Mary, mother of Jesus, who was said to wear "a crown of gold that circles the earth".
Calendula officinalis is widely cultivated and can be grown easily in sunny locations in most kinds of soils. Although perennial, it is commonly treated as an annual, particularly in colder regions where its winter survival is poor, and in hot summer locations where it also does not survive.
Calendulas are considered by many gardening experts as among the easiest and most versatile flowers to grow in a garden, especially because they tolerate most soils. In temperate climates, seeds are sown in spring for blooms that last throughout the summer and well into the fall. In areas of limited winter freezing, seeds are sown in autumn for winter color. Plants will wither in subtropical summer. Seeds will germinate freely in sunny or half-sunny locations, but plants do best if planted in sunny locations with rich, well-drained soil. Pot marigolds typically bloom quickly from seed (in under two months) in bright yellows, golds, and oranges.
It is probably native to southern Europe, though its long history of cultivation makes its precise origin unknown. It is also widely naturalised further north in Europe (as far north as southern England) and elsewhere in warm temperate regions of the world.
The florets are edible. They are often included in salads for their color or added to dishes as a garnish in lieu of saffron. While the leaves are also edible, they are generally not considered palatable, though historically they have been incorporated into potherb and salads. Additionally, the plant is utilized for making tea.
Field marigold · Calendula meuselii · Sea marigold · Marigold
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Calendula officinalis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
