Calendula cultivation

How to grow calendula

Plant characteristics

– Plant family: Compositae.

– Annual or sometimes biennial plant, erect stems up to 40 – 70cm. tall.

– Leaves alternate, petiolate, oblong, spatulate, margins entire or with few teeth, and hairy.

– Large floral florets, 5 – 7cm. in diameter, composed of radiated flowers. It blooms from June to early November.

– Fruit thorny and curved, achene, lacking pappus.

Calendula climate

– Plant of temperate climates.

– Resistant to frost and drought.

– It grows in full sun or semi-shade.

– Located from 0 to 1,000 m.

Calendula soil

• Type of soil: sandy loam soils, limestoneor clay.
• It requires moist soil, even in summer.
• pH between 4.5 and 8.3. It can grow in acid and alkaline soils, but it prefers limestone.
• Provide a fertile soil rich in organic matter.

Calendula reproduction

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION BY SEEDS

– Plant seeds in situ, in spring (March-April) or early fall (September-October).

– Germination occurs in 2-4 weeks.

– Flowering occurs four months after planting, in summer (if planted in spring) or between May and June if planted in autumn.

– The plant reproduces spontaneously.

Calendula flowering

– Flowers appear 4 weeks after sowing. Usually between April and October.

Calendula diseases and pests

• Mosaic Disease: caused by mosaic virus.
• Mildew: fungal disease that attacks in full force in summer, but that may appear in late spring.
• Powdery mildew: It is a common disease of plants. It appears in spring but its effects may linger during the summer or fall.

More information on calendula.

Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

25 September, 2021