Calendula

[Herbgardener]

Has anyone here ever grown calendula? I have been reading about it and am wondering where I can get some. Any info would be helpful!

Thank you!

 

[lesa]

I love calendula! I got mine out of my Mom's garden, years ago. It self-seeds like crazy and I do mean crazy! I started with a few transplants and every garden has some now! I would have gladly saved seeds had I known anyone wanted any... if you don't find any by fall, remind me and I'll send a few hundred!

 

[digitS']

Herbgardener, I listed Calendula in that "Herb crazy..." thread because someone else did and because I'd just set out a bunch of plants. I hope they are pretty!!

They are "Radio Extra" and I've grown that variety before but have always purchased them from Thompson & Morgan, just not this year. Kablouna has been around as long but they haven't had good seasons the last few go-arounds. I think it is mostly that this country is darn dry for Calendula.

It's only their good looks that I'm trying for. I like flowers that just kind of jump out at you and look beautiful. That may be saying too much about the "pot marigold" but they can be very showy.

I've known forever that they are edible and haven't eaten one . The petals can be used as a food color, I guess. If you like yellows and oranges - I bet that would work!

Steve

edited to say, It may have been Lesa who said that she has Calendula in her herb garden . .

 

[lesa]

Steve, I have calendula in every garden!!! Truly the thing I like best about them is that they bloom all summer and a few stay blooming right up till the first snow. Now, that is my kind of flower! I will have to eat one this summer!

 

[vfem]

I grow it, and I save the seeds each season. Really great companion plant and helps keep certain insects away from my garden.

 

[hoodat]

Calendula were once used to add color to food, especially cheese and butter. That chore is left to petroleum based chemicals these days. At any rate, that's where the common name of pot marigold came from.
If you feed the flowers to chickens their eggs will have a darker and better tasting yoke.
Not good for the vegetable garden since it hosts several pests that may spread to your other veggies, especially the cabbage worm.

 

[journey11]

I had calendula in my rock garden once. It had very striking orange blooms. I didn't know at the time that it was edible. I am growing some more this year!

 

[Lavender2]

I got a small pot of the yellow calendula at a local plant exchange and yes oh my they are fun re-seeders... I bring seedlings to share every year
They come up very early, bloom fast and right up to fall if I keep up on the deadheading. I let a few go to seed toward the end of the season.
I've tried Citrus Cocktail and Pacific Apricot Beauty also, I like them all!
Would love to try some of the dwarf types ... anyone tried them?

calendula dwarf

I'm not real crazy about their scent so I have not tried to eat them ...

 

[Beekissed]

I was surprised to find that mine self-seeded very well and it comes up year after year...they bloom for a long time and are the last flowers to die in the late fall. We had a really hard winter and they were right up along with the Shasta Daisies this spring.

I love calendula and hope to steep some and save the mixture to use in salves and balms.

That stuff is sure easy to grow....no fail gardening there.

 

[Herbgardener]

I found some seed at some big seed place and ordered two kinds Lemon cream and Oktoberfest. Thank you all for the help and information!!

herbgardener