Plant Details

Calendula officinalis

Marigold, Pot marigold

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Common names

40 names · 28 languages
EnglishYour language
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • pot-marigold[2]
Other languages (27)
Dutch
  • Goudsbloem[2]
  • Tuingoudsbloem[2]
French
  • Souci officinal[2]
Arabic
  • أذريون الطبي[2]
  • بكورية طبية[2]
Catalan
  • Boixac de jardí[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Ljekoviti neven[2]
Czech
  • měsíček lékařský[2]
Danish
  • Have-morgenfrue[2]
  • Morgenfrue[2]
Estonian
  • harilik saialill[2]
Finnish
  • tarhakehäkukka[2]
German
Hungarian
  • orvosi körömvirág[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • キンセンカ[2]
  • トウキンセンカ[2]
Lithuanian
  • Vaistinė medetka[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Nagietek lekarski[2]
Portuguese
  • calêndula[2]
Russian
  • Календула лекарственная[2]
  • ноготки лекарственные[2]
Slovak
  • nechtík lekársky[2]
Slovenian
  • vrtni ognjič[2]
Spanish
  • Caléndula[2]
  • Caléndula del Mediterráneo[2]
  • Maravilla de muerto[1]
Swedish
  • ringblomma[2]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Календула лікарська[2]
  • Нагідки лікарські[2]
Welsh
  • Melyn Mair[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Calendula officinalis L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Garten-Ringelblume (DE); Maravilla de muerto (ES) — VernacularName.tsv, line 143123; taxon PJDZ.
  • Pot Marigold (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 143124; taxon PJDZ.
[2] Calendula officinalis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • pot marigold — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • pot-marigold — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • calendula — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Caléndula del Mediterráneo — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • marigold — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Ringelblume — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Garten-Ringelblume — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • souci officinal — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • měsíček lékařský — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • calêndula — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Have-morgenfrue — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • harilik saialill — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Календула лекарственная — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • ringblom — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Calendula — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • tarhakehäkukka — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Nagietek lekarski — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Boixac de jardí — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Vaistinė medetka — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • トウキンセンカ — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • キンセンカ — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Caléndula — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Ljekoviti neven — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • ringblomma — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • 金盏花 — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • 金盞花 — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Tuingoudsbloem — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Goudsbloem — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Morgenfrue — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • بكورية طبية — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • أذريون الطبي — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • vrtni ognjič — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • orvosi körömvirág — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Нагідки лікарські — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Календула лікарська — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • ноготки лекарственные — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • aynısafa — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • nechtík lekársky — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.
  • Melyn Mair — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 75931; Calendula officinalis.

General information

Scientific name: Calendula officinalis
Accepted name (Kew): Calendula officinalis L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Asteraceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Calendula (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Marigold, Pot marigold
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.3–0.61 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 0.3–0.61 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None
Growth habit: Mounding

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Annual
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
kleur, Tea, Leaves, Flowers
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(5)
Functions:
Cosmetic use, Dye, Essential oil, Repellent, Bee forage, Fragrant

Description

Leaves: raw. The leaves have a sweet taste followed by a strong, salty flavor. They are high in vitamins and minerals, similar to dandelion leaves. Fresh petals can be chopped and added to salads. Dried petals have a more concentrated taste and are used as a seasoning in soups, pastries, and so on. The flowers are rich in vitamins A and C and can be used to obtain an edible yellow dye or as a saffron substitute. They can also be used to add golden tones to brown hair when rinsing/washing the hair. Petals and leaves can be used to brew tea, with the petals providing a less bitter taste.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/06
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 554828; name ID 3133177; Calendula L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 835621; name ID 2910167; Calendula officinalis L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Calendula officinalis

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 5077515, ID PJDZ: Calendula officinalis L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Calendula officinalis — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .