Calendula officinalis mix - seeds

This Organic Mix of Garden Marigold, also known as Calendula officinalis, offers a mix of double and single flowers, in bright orange or bright yellow depending on the plants. This ornamental and edible annual plant has medicinal properties as well as repelling certain insects. It blooms extensively from spring until the first frost. Grow it in flower beds or the vegetable garden for its qualities as a companion plant where it repels whiteflies and aphids.

Listed in gardens since the 12th century, the Garden Marigold has virtues that are exploited in many fields. It is first and foremost a dye plant that serves as a pigment. But it is also used in cosmetics, pharmacology, and homoeopathy for its soothing, astringent, healing, anti-inflammatory, and hepatic properties, among others. Finally, its nickname of False Saffron comes from its culinary use. Indeed, the Marigold is a great substitute for this spice by colouring rice-based dishes, as well as stews, soups, and herbal teas. Raw, it flavours cheeses, salads, and even butter. Moreover, it has long been established in the vegetable garden as an ally to other edibles, as it repels flies and attracts numerous pollinating insects.

The Garden Marigold has an upright, slightly spreading habit, composed of brittle, branching stems that give it a rather bushy appearance. Its lanceolate leaves are velvety and very aromatic when crushed. The flowers are heads, their long petals are actually ligulate flowers, surrounding a dark central disk. These heads open in the sun throughout the summer. Marigold seeds spread easily in various ways: by the wind, falling to the ground, but also by attaching to clothing and animal fur, as these small crescents are barbed. They self-sow quite spontaneously since their germination is not hindered by the cold. The garden marigold is happy with all types of soil, as long as it is in full sun for a good part of the day.

This Organic Mix of Garden Marigolds will quickly create a flowery border or fill a large sunny meadow-like bed. It is a beautiful companion for colourful Dahlias and ornamental grasses with swaying foliage. Foliage plants such as Artemisias or silver-leaved Stachys and tansies, complement it, as do flowering plants with well-drained soil such as Sages, roses, or annual love-in-a-mist in a perfect orange and blue duo. Calendula is also an edible flower, to be enjoyed in moderation, which can be used in salads, soups, or desserts. Some say its flavour resembles that of pepper.