Plant Library

annual

Pot Marigold

Calendula officinalis

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Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis) at Pesche's Garden Center

Pot Marigold flowers

Pot Marigold flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis) at Pesche's Garden Center

Pot Marigold in bloom

Pot Marigold in bloom

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  18 inches

Flower Height:  24 inches

Spread:  24 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  (annual)

Other Names:  English Marigold

Description:

A bushy, mounded annual producing bright yellow to deep orange, single to double flower heads with contrasting dark center disks; long blooming; perfect for mixed borders or containers; flowers and leaves are edible

Ornamental Features

Pot Marigold features showy yellow daisy flowers with orange overtones and burgundy eyes at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid fall. Its oval leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Pot Marigold is an herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Pot Marigold is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Pot Marigold will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.

Pot Marigold is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Edging  Garden  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features