Calendula officinalis Double Lemon seeds - Pot marigold

Calendula officinalis 'Pacific Beauty Lemon' is a Pot Marigold that combines numerous ornamental qualities. This very compact variety remains dense and proves extremely floriferous. Despite its small size, it produces large semi-double and double flowers abundantly throughout the summer. Its flower heads have lemon-yellow edges and an intense yellow centre. Ideal for borders and containers, this annual is also well-suited to the vegetable garden, as its petals are edible. Its cycle is rapid; sow it in March-April and it will flower approximately 10 weeks later.

Calendula belongs to the vast Asteraceae family, which, after Orchids, is the most prolific in the vegetable kingdom with approximately 23,500 species and 1,600 genera. This family was formerly called Compositae because the "flower heads" are actually inflorescences composed of numerous small flowers. The family includes many aromatic plants, some countryside wildflowers (Dandelion, Cornflower, Daisy...) and numerous ornamental plants, such as Mouse-ear Hawkweed or the popular Zinnia.
There are about twenty species of Calendula, including the Pot Marigold, C. officinalis, which easily spreads to grow wild in Mediterranean regions, as the seed withstands cold well. The species name comes from the fact that the plant has long been known for its herbal properties, to the extent that the great Charlemagne recommended its cultivation in royal estates in his famous work "Capitulare de villis vel curtis imperii". Today, breeders work to produce ever more floriferous varieties for ornamental use.
This is the case for the particularly attractive Pot Marigold 'Double Lemon' for garden flowering. It is very compact, forming dense clumps 40 cm high by 20 cm wide, which remain well-grouped throughout the growing season. The medium green foliage is quickly adorned with large flowers that can reach up to 7 cm in diameter from June, sometimes May. Composed of dozens of florets, the large flowering heads are lemon-yellow on the periphery, turning to intense yellow at the centre. The contrast with the green leaves is particularly harmonious, and the plant forms magnificent borders. It is also perfect for filling containers in which it will flower until September, with regular applications of liquid fertiliser. Easy to grow in most soils, this superb variety also shows good resistance to powdery mildew, that fungus which can mark foliage with white, weakening the plant and harming flowering. The flowering is not only very pretty, but also useful for pollinating insects. Opening and closing with to sunlight, the flowers are also edible. Add petals to your salads to give them a colourful note and a slight spicy taste, as Pot Marigold is a good substitute for saffron!

Very easy to grow from seed, Pot Marigold 'Double Lemon' can be grown in the vegetable garden, between rows of vegetables to add colour, as well as to repel soil nematodes and attract pollinators. Plant Basil 'Dark Opal' with purple leaves next to it for a lively display! It will also be valuable in the ornamental garden, where its generous flowering will continue throughout summer. You can combine it in beds with Dahlias and thus create very contrasting colourful scenes. All foliage plants will also be good companions, such as Artemisias with greyish vegetation.