Pot marigold (Calendula)
Calendula officinalis L.
Botanical family: Asteraceae
A solar flower of the Asteraceae family (Calendula officinalis), the pot marigold, native to southern Europe, flowers at length from early spring to the first frosts. Its orange flower heads are also a medicinal plant, listed in the European Pharmacopoeia.
Full sun
Any soil
Moderate
Hardy annual
Sown in autumn, overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
Nectar-bearing, it draws pollinators and helpers (hoverflies, lacewings) to the vegetable garden throughout its long flowering.
Good companions
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Sown outdoors from March to July; calendula flowers from June until the frosts, and its flowers are picked all summer, to be dried for winter.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Calendula officinalis » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Calendula+officinalis)
- Gerbeaud, « Souci officinal » (gerbeaud.com/jardin/fiches/souci-officinal.php)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Caution for any internal use; allergies to Asteraceae are possible.
In the kitchen & the apothecary
Where to find pot marigold (calendula) in preparations: recipes and traditional herbal teas.
Infusions & herbal teas
Family behaviour: Asteraceae
In general, Asteraceae are a family rich in flowers appreciated by pollinators and beneficials (pot marigold, yarrow, chamomile). It is very scattered, from the mildest lettuce to the allelopathic sunflower.
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Keep in mind
Calendula is often credited with a repellent effect on nematodes by analogy with Tagetes (French marigold), but the effect is markedly less documented for Calendula officinalis. It's mainly for Tagetes that α-terthienyl is shown to be active.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: any soil.
- • Classic companion: Tomato.