Calendula officinalis

LATIN NAME: CALENDULA OFFICINALIS

COMMON NAME: Pot Marigold, Calendula

The pot marigold is one of the oldest and most cheerful of the garden flowers, and its glowing, orange blooms have been a friend of the cottage gardens for a very long time. It grows as an upright, branching, aromatic annual of the daisy family, reaching up to half a metre or more, with upright, branching stems bearing alternate, oblong, softly hairy, pale-green leaves and, from the early summer into the autumn, many large, single or double, daisy-like flowers in the glowing shades of the orange, the gold and the apricot, followed by the curious, curved, ring-like seeds. It is a species of the flowering herb, native to the warm regions of the Mediterranean, while it is grown for its bright, long-lasting flowers and its long history of use in the traditional ways of the region, and it is known as the pot marigold.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The pot marigold has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the chemistry of the flowers and the food science, since the glowing, orange petals of the pot marigold have a long history of use as a colouring and a flavouring in the kitchen, and the researchers have examined the petals and their constituents, while the traditional uses of the pot marigold have drawn attention in the international food and botanical press, and the study of the pot marigold and its chemistry has been of continuing interest across the world, and the plant is best appreciated as a subject of study and a bright flower of the garden rather than a casual remedy. The plant has also been studied in botany and ecology, since it is a native of the warm regions of the Mediterranean, and its relationships, its distribution and its role in the wild have been examined, while the ecology of the warm-region herbs has been of continuing interest, and the curious, curved, ring-like seeds of the pot marigold have been of interest to the botanists. The species has also been studied in the horticulture, since the pot marigold is one of the oldest and most beloved of the garden flowers, and the researchers have examined its many forms and its cultivation, while its bright, long-lasting, glowing flowers have made it a friend of the cottage gardens of the world. For a plant of such cheerful value, the pot marigold has a rich and distinguished record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

To grow the Pot Marigold from seed, ecologically, the pot marigold is a generous plant of the garden. Its many large, daisy-like flowers feed the bees and the many insects through the summer, and its curious, curved seeds feed the birds, while its bushy, leafy growth gives a fine cover to the small creatures, and its bright, glowing bloom has made it a treasure of the cottage garden. Its economic value is real: the pot marigold is prized for its bright, long-lasting flowers and its long history of use in the traditional ways of the region, and its value has drawn attention in the international food and botanical press, while the glowing, orange petals have been used in the kitchen of the world, and the flower is a beloved friend of the garden. To raise the pot marigold, sow the seeds into pots of moist, free-draining compost in a light, sunny spot, keep them lightly watered, and grow the little herbs on in the light.

sow the seeds into pots of moist, free-draining compost in a light, sunny spot, keep the young marigolds lightly watered, and grow the little herbs on in the light.

LATIN NAME: Calendula officinalis

COMMON NAME: Pot Marigold, Common Marigold, Marys Gold, Scotch Marigold

The pot marigold is one of the most cheerful of all garden flowers, and its bright orange and yellow bloom has brightened the gardens of Europe for centuries. It grows as a fast, bushy annual, reaching up to sixty centimetres, with softly hairy, oval leaves and, through the summer and into autumn, a long succession of bright, daisy-like flowers in rich orange, gold and yellow, which open in the sun and close at night, followed by the curious, curled seeds. It is probably native to southern Europe, but its long history of cultivation makes its precise origin unclear, and it has been grown for centuries as a garden flower, a kitchen herb and a medicinal plant.

The pot marigold belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae, and it is a flowering plant probably native to southern Europe, though its long history of cultivation makes its precise origin unclear. It has been grown for a very long time as a garden flower, a kitchen herb and a medicinal plant.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The pot marigold has a genuine and distinguished place in both scientific and culinary research. It has been studied in chemistry and pharmacology, since it has a long history as a medicinal plant, and researchers have examined the chemistry of the flowers, identifying a range of bioactive compounds, including the carotenoids, the flavonoids and the saponins, and examining their potential biological activity, which has made it a subject of continuing interest in natural product research, while its traditional uses continue to guide modern studies. The plant has also been studied in food science, since the bright petals are edible and have been used to colour and flavour food, and the flowers have been used in the kitchen for a long time. The species has also been studied in horticulture, since it is one of the most cheerful and easy of the garden annuals, and many named varieties have been raised. For a plant of such bright bloom and such use, the pot marigold has a rich and distinguished record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Ecologically, the pot marigold is a generous plant of the garden. Its bright flowers feed bees and other pollinators through a long season, and its seeds feed small birds, while it is a cheerful and familiar presence in the gardens and the kitchen gardens of Europe.

Its economic value is real and varied. It is one of the most cheerful of the garden annuals, grown for its long season of bright bloom, and its petals are used to colour and flavour food, while the plant has a long history as a medicinal herb and its chemistry continues to be of interest to research and industry. For a grower, the pot marigold is an easy and generous flower, and for a gardener it brings a long season of bright orange and gold. The seeds are among the easiest — sow them directly in a pot of moist soil in spring, keep it in a sunny spot and lightly watered, and the sturdy seedlings appear within a week or two, growing on to flower through the summer and into autumn.

Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Beverage/Aromatic