at a glance

Latin Name: Calendula officinalis

Sun: Full for optimum blossoms; partial shade will bloom less abundantly
Life Cycle: Annual Self-Sowing Annual Ease of care: Easy
Direct sow or transplant: Either Height: 2 feet
Container Friendly: Exceptionally! Edible Flower: Delectably

Native to the Mediterranean, calendula is an ebullient edible and medicinal flower that has now naturalized across the
globe. Also known as pot marigold, ‘calendula’ in latin roughly translates to ‘little clock’ and indeed, calendula read-
ily self-sows and blossoms abundantly across the seasons. We love to toss her delectable petals on salads, cakes, quiches
& steamed with rice as ‘peasant saffron; we also love to make anti-inflammatory salves, compresses and tea to enjoy all
winter long. There are countless ways to revel in their cheerful resilience and be forewarned: calendula quickly becomes
a carpet as a readily self-sowing annual, so harvest the flowers for food, medicine, dye, ceremony and beyond.

types of Calendula
Edible: All calendula for cutting with long,
petals are both edible strong stems. Dive into
and medicinal, though the dazzling diversity of
edible varieties have calendula to celebrate an
lighter, brighter fla- astonishing array of pet-
vors with no medici- al colors (and bi-colors!)
nal resin. Simply pluck as well as petal shape
the petals from each and arrangement. And
blossom (the center of Friends, if you’re grow-
the flower is oh so bit- ing calendula purely for
ter) and toss on salads, ornamental purposes,
cakes and everything know your pollinators
in between! We dry will be delighted.
petals to toss into rice
as ‘peasant saffron’ as Medicinal: All calendu-
well as quiches in win- Once all calendula varieties mature seed, they resist flowering with the la petals are both edible
ter to add a burst of same vigor. Consistently harvesting blooms and deadheading inspires and medicinal, though
sunshine. Calendula more blossoms! Also, beyond simply plucking flowers, follow each blos- medicinal varieties (like
tea is also a welcome som down its stem and harvest the entire stem. Though more effort, this our Resina) are more
dose of sunshine in ‘pruning’ of your calendula allows more light and airflow to stimulate bitter and sticky with
any season. greater flower production. leaves, stems and petals
covered in concentrated
Ornamental: All calendulas are edible & medicinal as well medicinal resins, fabulous for making medicine! These
as beautiful! Some varieties (like our Zeolights) are ideal resins also make them much less palatable in a salad.

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 sow
Soil: Calendula, more than many other flowers, thrives
almost anywhere they are sown. Rich, well-drained soil
with full sun will grow the healthiest plants with the most
abundant blossoms.

Days to Germination: 7 days at 70°F/21°C; 14 days at

55°F/12°C. If snow has melted but daffodils haven’t yet
bloomed, days to germination may be even longer.

When: Calendula has an extraordinarily wide sowing win-

dow, from as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring
(along with your peas!) until one month before frost in fall.

Direct Sow or Transplant: Calendula is adaptable, so

establish calendula in any way that brings your life more
ease and joy. Here are some practical tips as well as pros
and cons for each approach:

Direct Sow: Calendula may be direct-sown as soon

as the soil can be worked and anytime until about two
months before frost. Sow 3 seeds 1/4” deep every foot & For edible flowers, harvest once blossoms are fully open, pluck
thin to the strongest one once they emerge. delectable petals from their bitter centers. For medicine, harvest
Pros: No transplanting necessary! in early morning when the flowers contain the highest concentra-
Cons: Direct sown seeds often require more weeding. tions of medicinal resins, when flowers are two-thirds to fully
open. Harvest the entire flower head, since the greatest concen-
tration of compounds exude from the green sepals at the base of
Transplant: About 4 weeks before last frost, sow 2 seeds
the flower. If you’re preparing blossoms for a balm, salve or lo-
per soil block or cell, thinning to the strongest one once
tion, wilt or dry flowers before covering in high-quality oil. For
they emerge. Once your seedlings have two sets of true
cut flowers, harvest blooms when they are about 50% open:
leaves, often 3 to 4 weeks later, they’re ready to acclimate to they’ll open gorgeously the next day. Harvested fully open, their
life outside. This process, also called ‘hardening off,’ is de- petals often fall within a few days.
scribed in detail in our 5 Tips for Gorgeous Transplants blog.
Pros: Transplants can be planted straight into mulch, re- Succession Sowing: For continuous blossoms, sow ev-
ducing weeding; transplanting also optimizes each indi- ery 3 to 4 weeks until about 8 weeks before first frost in
vidual seed. fall. You can sow as late as 4 weeks before first frost and
Cons: A good seed starting setup (including a great grow they’ll blossom, though not as profusely.
light) is crucial for truly healthy seedlings.
Companion Planting: Second only to compact mari-
Spacing in Row: 1’ between plants (if direct sowing, golds like Queen Sophia and French Brocade, calendula
sow 3 seeds every foot and thin to the strongest 1 as soon is one of our key companion plants. Two feet tall and
as first true leaves begin to emerge. not quite as wide, calendula tucks between taller plants
like tomatoes as well as at the ends of beds, attracting
Spacing Between Rows: 1’ between rows beneficial insects like ladybugs, syrphid and hover flies as
well as lacewings. Their blooms readily deter many pest
Sowing Depth: ¼” insects with abundant carotenoids and can act as a trap
crop for aphids, whiteflies and thrips.
Thinning: Whether you direct sow or transplant calen-
dula, thinning is crucial. Direct sown, sow three seeds Fertility Considerations: As a general rule, more nu-
per foot and thin to the strongest one once true leaves are trients will increase plant health and thus flower produc-
emerging above the cotyledons. Transplanted calendula tion. For all plants, an abundance of nitrogen promotes
are sown into soil blocks, cells or other containers, two leafy, vegetative growth and emphasis on phosphorus en-
seeds thinned one once cotyledons emerge. courages flowering.

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 cultivate
Weeding: Calendula is most susceptible to weed pressure can replace your courage plucking them (especially for
as a young plant. Once established, prolific stems form a the chickens in your life to devour!) when you see them.
dense carpet out-competing most weed pressure. Mulch- Aphids often cluster in the shady, humid environment in
ing young plants reduces your need to weed and main- calendula’s inner leaves, though they don’t love the sticky
tains more even moisture. resins coating the stems of more strongly medicinal va-
rieties.
Feeding: Calendula thrives in rich soil and to boost their
health & subsequent abundance all the more, foliar feed- Diseases: Come August here in Zone 5, calendula is sus-
ing and/or root drenching with compost tea and/or dilute ceptible to powdery mildew, though not as devastatingly
fish emulsion every two weeks will go far. Keep in mind as zucchini or peas. Dive into our blog sharing more
that too much nitrogen will inspire more leafy, veg- about Powdery Mildew biology, prevention and man-
etative growth; increased phosphorus will inspire more agement.
flower production.
Season Extension: Calendula is remarkably cold-hardy,
Pests: Snails and slugs can munch young seedlings, es- often flowering into December here in Zone 5. Floating
pecially when plants are surrounded by moist, protective row cover over hoops protects calendula from autumn
mulch. Diatomaceous earth as well as organically ap- chill, especially if you established your calendula late in
proved Slug-go are ways to deter slugs, though nothing the season and are still hoping to harvest abundance.

harvest
For Edible Flowers: Once flowers are fully open, pluck
delectable petals from their blossoms. Leave the bitter
center, calyx and sepals on the stem. Toss each delectable
blossom on salads, cakes and everything in between! We
dry petals to toss into rice as ‘peasant saffron’ as well as
quiches in winter to add a burst of sunshine. Add their
gorgeous petals to herbal compound butters with chives
and other delight! We love to toss petals & whole blooms
into ice cubes for fun summer drinks & calendula tea is
also a welcome dose of sunshine in any season.

When to Harvest for Medicine: In early morning,

when flowers are two-thirds to fully open, calendula
contains the highest concentrations of the most medicinal
resins. Harvest the entire flower head, since the greatest As a general rule, more nutrients will increase plant health and
concentration of compounds exude from the green sepals thus flower production. For all plants, an abundance of nitrogen
at the base of the flower. If you’re preparing blossoms for promotes leafy, vegetative growth and emphasis on phosphorus
a balm, salve or lotion, wilt or dry flowers before cover- encourages flowering.
ing in high-quality oil.
aldine of Suntrap Botanical, rather than simply plucking
For Cut Flowers: Blooms harvested when 50% open flower heads, follow each flower down its stem and har-
will open gorgeously in a bouquet the next day. Har- vest the entire stem. Though more effort, this ‘pruning’
vested more open, the petals often fall within a few days. of your calendula allows more light and airflow to stimu-
late greater flower production.
For Optimum Plant Health and Blossom Abundance:
Plucking flowers every two to three days will promote A Word to the Wise: Calendula readily self-sows, becom-
the greatest re-growth of your calendula. Once your ca- ing a boisterously cramped carpet when their seeds are not
lendula matures seed, they will resist flowering with the saved or dead-headed. Just another great reason to harvest
same vigor. Also, as we learned from the fabulous Ger- those gorgeously delicious and medicinal blooms, it’s true.

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 calendula as medicine
system. Topically, calendula heals an incredible array of
skin irritations from rashes to stings, abrasions to burns,
eczema to bruises. Calendula may be topically applied as
an oil, salve or lotion as well as poultice, compress or soak,
all helping to reduce pain, infection and swelling.

Oil Infusion: Harvest blooms when two-thirds to fully

open in the morning, wilting or drying before tuck-
ing into a jar and covering with a high-quality oil of
your choice. Infuse four weeks in a dark location before
straining the blossoms. Our friend Geraldine of Suntrap
Botanical taught us to combine calendula with plantain
(Plantago spp.) and marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) to
further catalyze healing. Apply your oil as is or make a
salve, below.

Food is medicine! Calendula has been part of cuisine, medicine Salve: Over a double boiler, combine one ounce of bees-
cabinet and ceremony for millennia. wax for every four ounces of infused oil. Once beeswax
has fully liquified and combined, pour into a vessel of
your choice to let cool.
Calendula has been first-aid medicine for millennia.
Topical salves, lotions, balms, poultices, compresses and Tea: Slightly bitter, astringent & full of antioxidants, calen-
baths of calendula are anti-inflammatory and vulner- dula tea is not popular with American penchants for sweet-
ary (promoting wound healing), impressively powerful ness and it’s quite our loss. It’s bright tea cheers up a winter
while gentle enough to heal diaper rash. Calendula is also day and a few flowers infuse brilliantly as summer tea while
anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and cleansing of the lymph deeply promoting healing in our bodies and spirits.

seed saving
Life cycle: Annual, though calendula readily self-sows
when allowed to mature seed.

Self or Cross-Pollinated: Cross-pollinated; maintain ½

mile between varieties if you wish them to not cross.

Wet or dry-seeded: dry-seeded

Qualities to select for: First and always, flavor! We also

love to select for earliness, abundance, medicinal compound
concentration, disease resistance and plant architecture.
What else is important for you, Friend? Select for it!

When to Harvest: Once seeds turn from green to gold,

harvest seedheads on a dry day and set them in a single layer
on a screen with fans in a warm place until crispy dry.

Seed Cleaning Notes: Both large and small calendula seeds

maintain great vigor, so keep all but the smallest seeds.
In humid climates it’s crucial to harvest golden dry seeds right
Seed Storage: Calendula easily holds germination 5+ years away before humidity hastens both seed dispersal and decom-
(even in your kitchen cupboard!) and for more details, hop postion. Also, when you’re drying seeds, use fans to wick excess
on over to our blog, How Long Do Seeds Last? Fruition’s moisture and though warmth always helps dry seeds quickly,
Secrets to Storing Seeds. resist exposing them to temperatures above 90°F / 32°C.

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 best of the blog
Fruition’s Guide to Companion Planting
Our Favorite Edible Flowers
Ideal Varieties for Container Gardening & Raised Beds
6 Seeds to Sow in Early April
Easy Flowers to Sow Four Weeks Before Final Frost
5 Tips for Gorgeous Transplants
How Long Do Seeds Last? Fruition’s Secrets to Storing Seeds
Enjoy our Seed Starting Academy for step-by-step video tutorials to surround you with abundance.

Insight & inspiration daily! FruitionSeeds @fruition_seeds

our varieties:
Organic Organic
Sunshine Remembrance
Flashback Edible
Calendula Calendula Mix
With bi-color petals Here in the Finger
bright yellow-orange on Lakes, Remembrance
the front and burgundy on Farm grows calendula
the back, Sunshine Flash- to add color and diver-
back is perfect for contain- sity to Nathaniel’s sig-
ers and striking on salads. nature “Flower Power”
salad mix. Fruition has
Organic hand-selected this variety to have a brilliant diversity
Zeolights of colors with dozens of gorgeous, edible petals on each
Calendula blossom to make adding petals to their salad mix even
The gorgeously delec- easier. Enjoy!
table brilliance of Frank
Morton. Each edible
bi-color petal is canta- Our favorite recipes
loupe-salmon fringed Calendula petals:
with yellow and bur-
~ tossed on salad
gundy on the back.
~ tossed on cakes and cupcakes
~ cooked with rice as ‘pleasant peasant saffron’
Organic Resina
~ baked into quiche for a vivid burst of brightness
Calendula Mix
Chock-full of deeply me- ~ rolled into herbal compound butters
dicinal resins, Resina is ~ dried and added to herbal salts
easy to grow in any sea- ~ steeped as tea
son, any soil & any sun,
even partial shade. May Calendula whole flowers:
beauty and abundance ~ frozen into ice cubes
surround you for many for delightful summer drinks
seasons to come.

Preserving the harvest: As an edible herb, we dry flowers for winter tea, quiches and rice. We also make
medicinal oils and salves for first aid in all seasons.