207 · Calendula Pacific Beauty Mix

About this plant

The classic heirloom pot marigold in a full sunset range — orange, apricot, yellow, peach and cream — with big semi-double blooms up to 4 inches on 24-inch stems. It is the best cut flower of our winter varieties and the calendula strain noted for extra heat tolerance, so it holds on latest into spring. Edible petals for tea, salve or salad. Note: Cool season — plant now for spring flowers; it will die out in June heat. Frost hardy to ~25F. Needs steady water.

Planting it at home

When to plant out

Right away. Our low-desert planting window for cool-season plants ends about mid-February.

Where

Full-sun winter bed or dedicated cutting row; give it the space to reach full 24 in height

Spacing

10 in (Baker Creek)

Size

Up to 24 in tall; flowers to 4 in across (Baker Creek)

Support

Bush / compact — little or no support

Care

Sun

8–12 hours full sun; part shade tolerated in hot climates

Water

Consistent, even moisture; do not let it dry out

Feed

A light flower fertilizer every 3–4 weeks while blooming (general guide).

Pick / harvest

Cut when half open or just opened that day, harvesting in the morning after the dew dries. Cutting hard encourages more stems.

Deadhead

Cut off spent flowers to keep new blooms coming.

Good to know

Caution

Petals only are edible. Do not eat leaves or stems.

Grown from

Seed — sown by FHCG volunteers

Uses

Cut flower (best of the eight) / bedding / edible & herbal / pollinator border

Life cycle

Annual (self-seeding)

Heirloom or hybrid

Heirloom — saved seeds grow true

Pollinators

Honeybees, native bees and hoverflies (syrphids) — hoverfly larvae are aphid predators, making it a working insectary plant in a winter veg bed.

Days to bloom

45–55 days to flower (Baker Creek)

Heat (our summer)

Best heat tolerance of the calendulas offered, but still below 85F preferred; finished by June

Cold

Yes — frost hardy, tolerates to ~25F

Color

Mix of orange, apricot, yellow, peach and cream; large semi-double flowers up to 4 in across

Edible

Petals only (slightly bitter, saffron-like). Strip from the bitter center (UA and UMN Extension).