Calendula 'Erfurter Orangefarbige' Seeds

'Erfurter Orangefarbige' is a pot marigold selected in Erfurt for its strong orange flowers and generous petal count. The double blooms are a clear, saturated orange that lights up a border, a vegetable bed or a balcony pot from early summer into autumn. The petals of Calendula officinalis have a mild, slightly peppery sweetness: scatter them over salads, fold them into butter and soft cheese, or dry them to add colour to soups and breads. Bees, hoverflies and ladybirds visit the open flowers, which is why so many growers tuck it in among tomatoes and carrots.

Sowing and growing

• Sow indoors February to March, or outdoors where it is to flower March to June
• Sow about 1 cm deep and thin seedlings to 20 to 25 cm apart
• Germination takes 7 to 15 days
• Full sun, in light, well-drained soil; rich, wet soil gives leafy plants and fewer flowers
• Grows to around 30 to 50 cm tall
• Flowers about eight weeks after sowing, June to October; deadhead to keep it blooming
• A hardy annual that often self-seeds

What you receive: a packet of about 45 seeds from Piccolo Seeds, with growing instructions on the back.

Find more flower, herb and vegetable seeds in our range, or see our plants for wildlife and pollinators for more bee-friendly flowers.