Wide daisy heads in shades of yellow and orange open month after month along path edges, in flower beds and on rocky ground, constantly renewing themselves. Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) is an easy annual that also helps repel aphids and other garden pests; spare it scorching heat and it flowers from spring until the first frosts.
| Name | Calendula officinalis |
|---|---|
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Type | annual |
| Height | 20 to 28 inches (50 to 70 cm) depending on variety |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | ordinary, rather light and well drained |
| Flowering | mid-spring to late autumn |
Marigold produces many flowers and is easy to care for. Moreover, marigold has further advantages since it repels many parasites.
In spring, as early as early spring in temperate climates or mid-spring in northerly regions.
In summer, it is always possible to plant marigolds purchased in a garden store, but it still is most common to sow them directly from seeds.
Just like the aster, ordinary soil mixed with a bit of soil mix is perfect.
Very easy to grow, marigolds only need very little care.
If you wish, deadheading is possible – snipping off wilted flowers – in order to spur appearance of new flowers, but new flowers would still bloom even if this isn’t done.
Marigolds are sensitive to frost and will only grow back year after year in regions with mild winters. Spontaneous growth from seeds does occur regularly, and some plants that had died off in winter may grow again in spring.
You can shake wilted flowers to spread seeds which will surely lead to renewed blooming the following year.
Marigold asks for very little, but each stage of its year has its own moment. Here is the sequence, from sowing to the last blooms of autumn.
| Stage | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing in temperate climates | From early spring | Sow seeds directly where they are to grow, in a sunny but not scorching spot |
| Sowing in northerly regions | mid-spring | Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil mix and water regularly |
| Thinning | Once the sprouts are well shaped | Keep the most vigorous seedlings every 9 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) |
| Planting from the garden store | Summer | Possible, though sowing directly from seed remains the most common way |
| Flowering and deadheading | mid-spring to late autumn | Snip off wilted flowers to spur new ones, though blooming continues anyway |
| Saving the following year’s display | As flowers fade | Shake wilted flowers to scatter seed for renewed blooming next year |
Beyond this, marigold is content to be left alone.
Beyond the plain orange of the wild type, seed catalogues offer pot marigolds in cream, apricot and deep mahogany-backed shades, in heights from tub-sized cushions to tall cutting plants. The table below sets out the varieties most often found on British and North American seed racks.
| Variety | Flower colour | Flower form | Height band | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiesta Gitana | Cream, yellow and orange mix | Double | Dwarf | Pots, edging, bedding |
| Indian Prince | Deep orange, bronze-red reverse | Double | Medium | Borders, cutting |
| Orange King | Deep orange | Double | Medium | Bedding, cutting |
| Touch of Red | Orange and yellow, red-tipped petals | Double | Medium | Bedding, cutting |
| Pacific Beauty | Yellow to orange mix | Double | Tall | Cut flowers, heat tolerance |
| Art Shades | Apricot, cream and orange blend | Double | Medium | Borders, cutting |
| Radio | Bright orange | Quilled, cactus-flowered | Medium | Cutting, novelty interest |
| Zeolights | Apricot flushed peach-pink | Single to semi-double | Medium | Cutting, pollinators |
| Sherbet Fizz | Buff cream, dark red reverse | Semi-double | Medium | Cutting, borders |
| Kablouna | Yellow to deep orange mix | Crested, anemone-centred | Medium | Cutting, borders |
| Bon Bon | Yellow, apricot and orange | Double | Dwarf | Early bedding, containers |
| Calypso | Orange or yellow, dark centre | Double | Dwarf | Pots, window boxes |
| Resina | Pale yellow to light orange | Single to semi-double | Medium | Herbal use, petal picking |
A great plant for flower beds, path edges or rocky land, marigolds are spectacular from spring to fall thanks to their generous blooming which constantly renews itself.
An easy annual, many diverse varieties and species make for superb blooms in shades of yellow and orange.
Marigolds also tend to repel many insects that are considered pests and parasites in the garden and vegetable patch, for example aphids.
It is common practice to sow several marigold seeds at the heart of the vegetable patch to protect vegetables against parasites.
Marigolds are also plants that combine many therapeutic properties: anti-inflammatory, anti-edema, anti-oxidant, analgesic and hydrating.
Their essential oil is also used for its anti-bacterial properties.
Finally, to be remembered is that marigolds are among the easiest flowers to grow, but they nonetheless are among those flowers bearing most from spring to fall.
Marigolds fear strong summer heat waves that often lead to the appearance of powdery mildew.
If you are in a region where summer is scorching, it is better to favor partly shaded areas.
Credits for images shared to Nature & Garden (all edits by Gaspard Lorthiois):
Hazy marigold by ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣ ΠΑΝΤΕΡΗΣ under Pixabay license
Clump of marigolds by Светлана Гурьева under Pixabay license
Field of gold by Yeon Woo Lee under Pixabay license
