How to Grow Calendula
'Crown Orange' from Seed
A crested double calendula in strong orange, with a raised centre of quilled petals and sturdier stems than most. The pot marigold to grow for cutting.
'Crown Orange' is calendula at its boldest. Each flower has a raised crest of short, quilled petals in the middle, framed by a ring of broad, flat outer petals. The result is a fuller, more structured flower than an ordinary pot marigold, and it holds its shape on a cut stem.
The stems are sturdier than most calendula, so this is the variety to grow if you want marigolds for the house as well as the border. It is every bit as easy as other calendula: sow it, give it sun and lean soil, and keep picking.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Plant Type
Hardy annual
Sowing Time
Sep · Mar to May
Flowering
June to October
Position
Full sun
Height
40 to 60cm
Difficulty
1 out of 5, very easy
Understanding the Plant
'Crown Orange' belongs to the crested types of Calendula officinalis. The centre of each flower is packed with short quilled petals that stand up above the outer ring, which gives the bloom substance and stops it looking flat. The colour is a clear, saturated orange that holds well on the plant and in water.
It is a hardy annual, so it can be sown in autumn as well as spring. The petals are edible fresh and dry well for winter use, and the flowers draw in bees and hoverflies through the summer.
A marigold for cutting
Many calendula have soft stems that bend in a vase. 'Crown Orange' has thicker, stronger stems, which is why it earns a place in a cutting patch. Cut when the flowers are about half open and strip the lower leaves before putting them in water.
When & How to Sow
The seed is large and easy to handle. For a cutting row, sow into modules so you can plant out straight, evenly spaced lines. For the border, direct sowing is simpler and works just as well.
Modules for a cutting row
Sow two seeds per module, thin to the stronger seedling and plant out in a straight row once roots fill the cell. Even spacing makes cutting easier and gives longer, straighter stems.
Sow 1cm deep and cover well. Calendula seed germinates best in the dark. Expect seedlings in 7 to 14 days.
Sow direct or in modules. Direct sow from March to May where plants are to flower, or sow two seeds per module and plant out once roots fill the cell. Autumn sowings go in during September.
Thin or space plants 25 to 30cm apart. For cutting, 25cm apart in rows gives plenty of stems. In the border, 30cm lets each plant fill out.
Growing On Tips
Full sun, lean soil
Plant somewhere open and sunny. Rich ground gives leafy plants with fewer flowers, so skip the compost and fertiliser.
Cut often
The more you cut, the more it flowers. Take stems down to a side shoot and remove any fading flowers you missed.
Water young plants
Keep new plantings watered in dry spells until they establish. After that, calendula is drought tolerant.
Vase life
Cut in the cool of the morning when flowers are half open. Stand in water for a few hours before arranging.
Drying petals
Pull petals from fully open flowers and dry them flat on paper somewhere warm and airy. They keep their colour well for winter arrangements and cooking.
Edible fresh
Scatter fresh petals over salads, soups and rice for a bright, peppery garnish.
Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Lots of leaf, few flowers | Soil too rich or plants fed | Calendula flowers best on poor to average ground. Stop feeding, and next year sow into an unimproved spot in full sun. |
| Flowering slows in midsummer | Seed heads left on the plant | Remove every fading flower before the curled seed heads form, or cut regularly for the house. Plants usually pick up again within a couple of weeks. |
| White powdery coating on leaves | Powdery mildew, common from late summer | Space plants 25 to 30cm apart, water at the base during dry spells and remove the worst leaves. A September sowing gives plants that flower well before mildew sets in. |
| Blackfly or greenfly on stems | Aphids, often in warm dry weather | Rub them off or rinse with water. Calendula attracts hoverflies, whose larvae eat aphids, so small colonies are often cleared without help. |
| Seedlings eaten overnight | Slugs and snails | Protect young plants on damp nights with wool pellets or a beer trap. Once plants have several true leaves they are far less vulnerable. |
| Some flowers lack a raised centre | Natural variation in seed-raised plants | A few plants may produce simpler flowers. Cut these first for the house, and save seed only from plants with the fullest crests. |
When to Expect Flowers
Spring-sown plants flower from June, and September sowings from late May the following year. Keep cutting and the plants carry on until the first hard frost.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍂 Autumn sow | ||||||||||||
| 🌿 Spring sow | ||||||||||||
| 🌸 Flowering |
Plant Specifications
Crested orange calendula with stems made for cutting
Sow in spring or September, give it sun and lean soil, and cut regularly. You will have full, structured orange flowers for the house all summer.
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