Photo credits and licenses
Real photographs from naturalists and photographers worldwide, each used under its own license. Credit: Photo by Daniel Hartwig from Des Moines, IA, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY), Photo by Robbie Sproule from Montreal, Canada / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY), Photo by Hector Gabriel / Wikimedia Commons (CC0), Photo by EyeTrick / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY) and Photo by S A, The Green Ark- Bostanie / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY). How photos are sourced →
Calendula
Calendula
Calendula blooms from May through October.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Calendula
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. Expect it to reach about 1.6 ft tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Calendula
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Calendula into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from May to October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar.
Comes in 4 varieties across 2 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Calendula
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
A peer-reviewed study found bees visited calendula most often among the flowers tested, drawn by its high pollen and nectar reward per flower. per PMC
Summer bloom depends on climate
In cool-summer regions it flowers spring to fall frost. Where summers are hot it flushes in spring, lulls in heat, and reblooms in fall. per Wisconsin and Missouri Botanical Garden
Edible petals, pet-safe
Its flower petals are edible, with a bitter, peppery, tangy flavor, and it is listed non-toxic to cats and dogs. Use only unsprayed flowers. per ASPCA and NC State
Not a true marigold
Despite the shared name, pot marigold is Calendula, a different genus from true marigolds (Tagetes). Check the botanical name before eating petals or judging pet safety. per Wisconsin and Illinois
Deadhead to keep blooming
Remove spent flowers regularly and it blooms harder and longer. Leave the last flush to ripen and it self-sows, often returning from volunteers next year. per NC State and Wisconsin
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone, put off by its aromatic foliage. Resistance is not immunity: very hungry animals may still sample it. per NC State and UF/IFAS
What pairs well with Calendula
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 4.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Eastern Redbud
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Serviceberry
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its white flowers settle the orange.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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