Calendula officinalis … calundula … pot marigold
These bright yellow and orange annual flowers have a long blooming period – from mid summer to first frost.
This plant prefers a fair amount of sun but isn’t overly fussy on the soil conditions. But they do like to be watered on a regular basis.
The petals have been used for medicinal purposes for many years. To encourage continual blooming be sure to snip off the spent flowers until towards the end of the season when you will want to leave them on so the seedpods develop.
Sow seeds early in the season and cover lightly with a small bit of dirt. Small seedlings will start to appear in a few days.
The seedpods begin to develop when the bloom is finished. At the end of the season leave it on the plant to completely form and dry. Pick, remove seeds and store in a cool, dry place for next year.
Calendula is a lovely annual to have in your garden.
I grow most of my annuals in large containers so that they can be moved easily around the garden to enjoy the sun or to fill in bare spots in garden areas.
Calendula has many healing properties. I love the calendula cream and soap.
The letter this week at Alphabe-Thursday is C. C for Calendula.
More from The Gardener Side
plants … seed info … veggies & herbs … bulbs, corms, tubers
the gardens … whimsy in the garden … garden printables
