Flowers · Seeds
Pot marigold
Calendula officinalis
A hardy annual with orange or yellow daisies over a long season, and a resinous scent. It will flower in cooler summers that stop more tender annuals.
Growing conditions
Soilchalk, clay, loam, sand
Moisturewell-drained
pHneutral, alkaline
Position
SunFull sun, Partial sun
Aspectnorth, east, south, west
Exposuresheltered, exposed
HardinessH5
Size
Time to maturityFlowers about 8–10 weeks from sowing
Max height0.3–0.5 m
Max spread0.2–0.3 m
In the garden
Sow direct in autumn or spring. Deadhead, or it spends its energy on seed. It self-sows modestly.
Aphids and powdery mildew appear on tired plants. Pull those and rely on younger seedlings.
Colour and scent
A mark in a season means the plant is doing that for at least part of it.
| Season | Foliage | Flower | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Leaves | — | — |
| Summer | Leaves | orange | — |
| Autumn | Leaves | orange | — |
| Winter | — | — | — |
- JanDormant
- FebDormant
- MarDormant
- AprDormant
- MayFoliage
- Junorange
- Julorange
- Augorange
- Seporange
- Octorange
- NovDormant
- DecDormant
Jobs
These dates suit a mild southern garden. A northern or Scottish plan shifts spring and autumn jobs by a fortnight.
5 April
Sow direct
Sow pot marigold in shallow drills and thin to 20 cm. It does not need a rich bed.
1 July
Deadhead
Pick off faded daisies every week, or cut whole stems for the house.