[Intro text]

Botanical Information

Taxonomy

Calendula officinalis

Calendula is also known as pot marigold.

History

Physical Description

Annual plant that grows about 18-inches tall. In my garden they don’t usually grow straight up; more of a laying-down-then-up growth. Flowers are typically yellow, orange, or a combination of yellow & orange. Flowering time is from late spring to midsummer when they take a break for the heat. They start back up when in cools down, until the frost hits.

Varieties & Cultivars

Categories or Types of [plantname]

Colors Available

Varieties (link to ../category/cultivars/tag/[plantname])

Growth Requirements

Climate & Temperature Requirements

Air Temperature

Soil Temperature

Humidity

Day Length or Light Requirements

Calendula likes full sun locations

Site Conditions Favored

Soil Requirements

Soil Texture

Calendula likes well-drained soil

pH

Nutrient Requirements

Propagation

Methods of propagation

Seed

• Sow calendula seeds in early spring, indoors or out.
• Sow seeds again in July for a fall bloom.

Division

Cuttings

Transplanting or Potting Up

Seed Saving

Calendula seeds are very easy to save. They have the weirdest seeds I’ve ever seen – they are big, too, so it makes them easy to gather.

Planting Out

Bed Prep & Soil Amendments

Bed Spacing

Plant or thin to 12 inches apart.

Planting Depth

Alternative Bed Methods

Container Gardening

Routine Cultivation & Maintenance

Water Requirements

Fertilization Recommendations

Mulching & Weeding

Pinching or Pruning & Dividing

Support

Winterizing

Companion Planting

Helpful Companions

Harmful Companions

Companion to..

Pests, Diseases & Problems

Common Pests

Slugs don’t seem to be a problem for calendula

Common Diseases

Symptoms

Whole Plant

Leaves

Stem/Trunk

Flowers

Fruit

Roots

Harvesting & Storage

Edible Parts of the Plant

• Calendula flowers have a slightly bitter taste, but are so brightly colored that the taste is over-looked

Yield

Days to Harvest / Harvest Timing

Harvest Methods

Storage of harvest

Fresh

Canned

Frozen

Pickled

Dried

Dry individual calendula petals on paper towel, making sure the petals don’t touch, then store in a moisture-tight container

Cooking

Nutritional Benefits & Values

Toxicity

Cooking

Preparation

Cooking Methods

Recipe Ideas (link to …/category/recipes/tag/[plantname])

• Salads
• Soups
• Butter
• Rice
• Stews
• Poultry
• Tea
  • 2 T chopped fresh petals (or 1 T dried)
  • 4 C water
  • Steep 5-10 minutes
  • strain
  • serve
• Saffron substitute: often used as a substitute for its bright orange color

Resources

Information for this article was taken from these sources. (link to …/category/resources/tag/[plantname])