Calendula (Pot Marigold)

Calendula officinalis · Flower

Quick answer: Water: When the top 1 in is dry (estimated); moderate; keep soil evenly moist, about 1 in per week (estimated). Light: Full sun. Soil: Loose, well-drained; pH 6.0–7.0 (estimated). Pets: The ASPCA lists pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) as non-toxic to cats and dogs. It is a different plant from the common garden marigold (Tagetes). If your pet eats a lot of any plant or seems unwell, ask your vet.

A cheerful, easy annual with orange and yellow daisy-like blooms. It likes cool weather, grows quickly from seed and keeps flowering until hard frost if you remove spent heads. A good first flower for beds, borders and pots.

💧WaterWhen the top 1 in is dry (estimated)

☀️LightFull sun

🐾PetsNon-toxic (ASPCA)

Care at a glance

Light: Full sun
Water: Moderate; keep soil evenly moist, about 1 in per week (estimated)
Soil: Loose, well-drained; pH 6.0–7.0 (estimated)
Temperature: Prefers cool weather; sow when soil reaches about 60 °F; may stall in long heat
Spacing: 16 in between plants and between rows
Container: At least 8 in deep and wide (estimated)
Bloom: Summer until the first heavy frost; matures 30–50 days after sowing
Lifespan: Annual; often self-sows

When?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost for early flowers, or sow directly outside just before the last frost date. In regions with hot summers a second sowing in late summer gives autumn blooms (estimated).

Step by step

Sow seeds 1/4–1/2 in deep and cover them; darkness helps germination, which takes 5–15 days.
Use fresh seed; older seed sprouts less reliably.
Thin seedlings to 16 in apart once they are 1–2 in tall.
Pinch the growing tips when plants are a few inches tall to make them bushier.
Water moderately and keep the soil evenly moist; avoid soggy ground.
Skip heavy feeding, which gives leaves over flowers; if you use fertilizer, follow the product label.
Deadhead regularly to keep new flowers coming; leave a few heads if you want it to self-sow.
Cut flowers for vases when they are about half open; they last longer.

Common problems

Sticky shoots covered in small insectsAphids; rinse them off with a strong spray of water and check the undersides of leaves.

White powder on the leavesPowdery mildew; space plants for airflow, water at the soil and remove badly affected leaves.

Plants stop flowering in midsummerNormal in long hot spells; trim lightly and keep watering, blooms return when it cools.

Mottled, distorted leavesPossibly a virus such as cucumber mosaic; remove the affected plant and control aphids.

Pets

The ASPCA lists pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) as non-toxic to cats and dogs. It is a different plant from the common garden marigold (Tagetes). If your pet eats a lot of any plant or seems unwell, ask your vet.

Similar plants

Marigold Nasturtium Zinnia

Sources

This page is general guidance; no pesticide doses are given.