Pot marigold

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade helps in hot climates.

Water

Moderate; water during dry spells, allowing the soil surface to dry between waterings.

Soil

Ordinary, well-drained soil; tolerates relatively poor soil but struggles in waterlogged ground.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Late spring to autumn in cool-summer climates; autumn to spring in mild-winter climates. Flowers are yellow, orange, cream or apricot, sometimes with dark centres.

Foliage

Soft, slightly hairy, green, oblong leaves with a somewhat sticky feel.

Growth

Fast; often flowers about 8-10 weeks after sowing.

Care needed

Low

• Thin seedlings to 8-12 in (20-30 cm) apart for good airflow.
• Water at soil level during dry spells rather than repeatedly wetting the leaves.
• Avoid heavy feeding; rich soil and excess nitrogen encourage leaves rather than flowers.
• Feed container plants lightly with a balanced liquid fertiliser if growth or flowering weakens.
• Stake taller plants only where wind makes them lean or flop.

Pruning. Remove faded flower heads regularly, cutting back to a leaf or side shoot. Cut leggy plants back by about one-third while they are still growing strongly to encourage fresh growth.

Early spring

Sow under cover in cold regions, or directly outdoors once the soil is workable.

Spring

Thin direct-sown seedlings and harden off indoor-raised plants before planting outside.

Late spring

Make a second sowing for a longer flowering season in cool-summer regions.

Summer

Deadhead and water during dry spells; flowering may pause during intense heat.

Autumn

Collect ripe, curved seeds. In mild-winter regions, including many Australian gardens, sow for cool-season flowers.

Late autumn

Remove plants killed by frost, leaving a few seed heads beforehand if you want self-sown seedlings.

• Edge vegetable beds with flowers that attract visiting pollinators and provide edible petals.
• Weave through cottage borders with cornflowers and annual larkspur for an informal summer display.
• Use compact forms in sunny pots with other cool-season annuals.
• Plant orange-flowered forms beside blue or purple flowers for a strong colour contrast.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Pollinator garden, Edible landscape, Herb parterre and Hot border.

Plant it with: Cornflower, Annual larkspur, Sweet alyssum, Nasturtium, Lettuce and Swiss chard.

Wildlife: Open-centred flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees, hoverflies and other insects. Single flowers are generally more accessible than densely double flowers.

• Aphids cluster on soft shoots: dislodge them with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators.
• Powdery mildew coats leaves in white: improve spacing, avoid drought stress and remove badly affected growth.
• Slugs and snails eat seedlings: protect young plants and check around them after dark.
• Hot weather reduces flowering: keep plants watered, provide afternoon shade where practical and sow again for cooler weather.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Petals are edible, but only use correctly identified, unsprayed plants grown for food. Contact with the plant can occasionally cause skin irritation, particularly in people sensitive to the daisy family.

• French marigold (Tagetes patula)

  Has finely divided, strongly scented leaves; pot marigold has broad, simple leaves.

• Field marigold (Calendula arvensis)

  Usually has much smaller yellow or orange flower heads and a lower, more spreading habit.

Calendula comes from the Latin calendae, the first day of the month, referring to its long flowering season, while pot marigold refers to its traditional use in cooking.

Propagation. Sow the large, curved seeds about 0.5 in (1 cm) deep, preferably where plants will flower. Sow in spring in cold climates or autumn in mild-winter climates; it also self-seeds readily. Named varieties may not come true from saved seed.

Accepted botanical name

Calendula officinalis

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Spain.

Measured

Soil pH 6.5 to 7. Average height 32 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.