Calendula officinalis Fiesta Gitana (Pot Marigold)

Aptly named, award-winning Calendula officinalis 'Fiesta Gitana' (Pot Marigold) is a compact, bushy annual with aromatic, dark green foliage and large, richly colored, double flowers, 1.5 in. across (4 cm), ranging from cream-yellow to the deepest orange. Some blossoms display contrasting deep dark-brown eyes. Blooming from late spring until the first frost, Pot Marigold is easy to grow and maintain. It has a wide range of uses, and every garden should have Calendula in it.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society and 1977 Fleuroselect Gold Medal.
• Grows up to 12-16 in. tall (30-40 cm) and 10-12 in. wide (25-30 cm). Pot Marigold will self-seed, if not deadheaded, without becoming invasive.
• Performs best in full sun in a light, poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Some afternoon shade is tolerated in hot summer areas. Because Calendula are cool-season flowers, they often sulk when summer sets in, especially in hot-weather areas.
• Water regularly until the plants are established. Mature plants thrive on only occasional watering. Drought tolerant once established.
• Pot Marigold is an excellent choice for beds and borders, edgings, as a ground cover, or in mass plantings. It is also suitable for cut flower gardens and containers and looks great in the cottage garden.
• Calendula is a wonderful companion plant in the garden. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators and beneficial insects are drawn to the flowers, making them a valuable addition to the vegetable garden.
• In addition, Calendula is a trap crop, trapping pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and thrips by exuding a sticky sap (resin) that they find more appealing and delicious than nearby vegetable crops.
• Calendula flowers can be harvested to make brightly colored bouquets. They can be used as a medicinal herb as they possess wound-healing and local anti-inflammatory properties.
• The leaves and petals of this plant are edible. The leaves are often added to salads, and the fresh petals can be used as a garnish or seasoning.
• Seeds can be sown directly in the garden just before the last frost date, but for earlier bloom, start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Successive sowings will provide fresh, blooming plants throughout the season.
• If flowering performance dwindles in midsummer, cut back severely.
• Young plants may be pinched back to encourage compact, bushy growth. Deadhead spent flowers to promote additional bloom. Cut back to ground level after flowering.
• Few insects or diseases bother Pot Marigolds. Keep an eye out for aphids, powdery mildew, and occasional cucumber mosaic virus. Deer and rabbits tend to avoid Calendula.
• Calendula officinalis is native to Southern Europe.