Single organic seeds of Calendula or Orange Marigold

The Calendula officinalis, better known as the Marigold, is an ornamental annual plant with bright orange flowers, which often self-seeds in gardens. It is also a medicinal and edible plant, with repellent properties for insects, qualities that make it a valuable ally for gardeners. Flowering begins approximately 3 months after sowing, and continues for several weeks. Grow Calendula in flower beds or among vegetable crops. It thrives in the sun, in any well-prepared soil, even poor soil.

The Calendula officinalis belongs to the Asteraceae family, which has a characteristic inflorescence in the shape of a daisy called a head. It is a short-lived perennial plant, most often grown as an annual. It is a spontaneous species in Mediterranean regions, where it spreads to gardens.

The marigold forms a clump of branching and brittle stems. At maturity, this plant will reach approximately 50 cm in height when flowering and 30 cm in spread. Its lanceolate leaves are velvety and highly aromatic when crushed; their smell may be unpleasant. Their bright green color provides a backdrop for its very cheerful flowers, whose golden yellow center darkens. Depending on the sowing date, flowering occurs from spring until the first frost, attracting many pollinating insects. Each head measures approximately 4 cm in diameter. It is composed of a center of fertile florets surrounded by long "petals" of bright orange, which are actually ligulate flowers gathered in a crown. This crown opens in the sun and closes at night or in cloudy weather. Garden Marigold seeds spread easily in various ways: by wind, falling to the ground, but also by clinging to clothing and animal fur, as some take the form of small claw-shaped crescents. They self-seed easily because their germination is not hindered by cold. Seedlings thrive in all types of soil, as long as they are in the sun for a good part of the day.

With its joyful flowering, the marigold is a valuable ally for quickly filling a flower bed or decorating a sunny terrace. It naturally finds its place in wildflower or more sophisticated flower beds. It can be installed in small touches amidst the gray foliage of artemisias and stachys, with Californian poppies, red or blue shrubby salvias, cornflowers, or surrounded by greenery, by combining it with tansies, Kochia childsii, or white, yellow, or red ground cover roses that will harmonize with its bright orange corollas. Calendula is also an edible flower, to be consumed in moderation, that can be added to salads, soups, or desserts. Some say its flavor resembles that of pepper.

A top-notch medicinal plant: listed in gardens since the 12th century, Calendula officinalis has virtues exploited in many fields. It is first and foremost a dye plant, used as a pigment. But it is also used in cosmetics, pharmacology, and homeopathy for its soothing, astringent, healing, anti-inflammatory, and hepatic properties, among others. Finally, its nickname of Faux Saffron comes from its culinary use. Indeed, Marigold is a substitute for this spice by coloring rice dishes, as well as stews, soups, and herbal teas. When raw, it flavors cheeses, salads, and even butter. Moreover, it has long been established in vegetable gardens as an ally to other edible plants, as it repels nematodes and attracts many pollinating insects.