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Asteraceae
Pot Marigold
Calendula officinalis
Joy and healing.
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Genus
- Calendula
- Native to
- Southern Europe, Mediterranean
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer, Fall
- Type
- annual
- Height
- 12-24 in
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, average
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 2-11
- Lifespan
- annual
Did you know
- Medieval monks called it 'Mary's Gold' and planted it in monastery gardens for both medicine and cooking, giving it its common name.
- The petals are edible and were historically used as a poor man's saffron to color butter, cheese, and rice dishes.
- Calendula oil contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds and is one of the most widely used herbs in modern skincare.
- The flowers open and close with the sun so reliably that they were used as a clock in medieval cottage gardens.
- During the American Civil War, calendula leaves were used directly on battlefield wounds to stop bleeding and prevent infection.
Color meanings
0
grief
1
desire
2
healing