Calendula, Orange (Calendula officinalis) seeds, organic
$3.95 – $214.00
Family: Aster (Asteracea)
Annual. 40 to 50 days to maturity.
(Pot Marigold, Orange Calendula) Native to southern Europe, flowering orange to 18 inches tall. Test of commercial planting in 2024: Direct seeded April 10, first significant harvest June 16th, a 70-day induction period. I see why herbalists like this variety best–I had sticky fingers after picking the eighth blossom. Traditional usage (TWM): antiseptic, inhibits inflammation, promotes healing. The flowers, when boiled, yield a bright yellow-orange dye. Sow the seed directly in the garden in the spring, or grow as a container plant. Space plants 6 inches apart. These flowers are the color of the rising sun. Best organic calendula seeds.
Packet contains 50 seeds
5 g contains ~ 600 seeds
10 g contains ~1,200 seeds
100 g contains ~12,000 seeds
Certified Organically Grown
PS on Calendula seed germination. Have you ever noticed how calendula volunteers with fall-strewn seed germinating and growing in the spring? If you take care of those volunteers, they really do make great plants. Anyway, this means that calendula seed is loaded with germination inhibitors–otherwise the fall disseminated seed would germinate immediately in the fall, and it doesn’t. So, when planting calendula, make sure to sow the seed early enough in the spring to mimic this natural process. Allow the seed to be in the soil, cool and well-watered, starting as soon as your ground can be worked, and you will see good results. Even seed sown midspring and kept nice and moist usually germinates fine. However, if you plant the seed late in the late spring to summer and it gets really warm and possibly not as moist as it needs to be, you may get a zero germ on it. That’s all I’m saying. Richo
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Melody –
I’ve casually seed saved for years (probably yearly population varies from 5-20 plants). But then I was reading in your book about population genetics and was debating whether I should buy more in this year to keep the genetics strong? The plants seem hardy enough so I wouldn’t have had a concern just by observation of the plants…..
Also, Richo, will you be teaching at any conferences anytime soon (especially east of the Mississippi?) Or walk, or talks, or……
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Richo Cech –
Hi Melody,
Thanks for staying in touch. Yes, in reference to outcrossers like this, it makes sense to renew genetic diversity every few years by integrating new seed. I do this, too. richo
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Question
Mary Stracensky (verified owner) –
I’ve planted calendula for the past 2 years and every season they are full of aphids. I’ve hosed the plants down frequently but the aphids return en mass. My daughter also plants her 30 miles away and gets no aphids. I’m in RI zone 6a. Any ideas? I love this flower.
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Richo Cech –
Hello Mary,
Thanks for getting in touch. It isn’t clear to me if you’re starting the calendula indoors and transplanting, or if you’re direct-seeding. Calendula plants sown from seed directly in the spring garden rarely get aphids. Its usually when you start them indoors that aphids can sometimes be a problem. Aphid infestation is species-specific and some plants never get them while others are nearly immune. Calendula is sorta in the middle of that spectrum. Without going into a whole spiel on integrated pest management, I would like to say that aphids are best controlled early on. If you let them encrust a plant, given that one aphid mamma makes a godzillian babies, really, you’re lost. The best thing to do is remove the infected plant and start over. Ants farm aphids, and if you see ants starting to climb up your plants, pay attention, they’re not just mini-mountaineers, they’re aphid milkers. Here’s the trick. Purchase a bar of neem oil soap. Get a clean bucket and put it in the sink. Run the hot water until its as hot as it gets. Then direct the hot water into the bucket while simultaneously cheese-grating the neem oil soap into the stream so that the curls of neem oil soap are immediately dissolved in the hot water. Use 1/2 oz soap per 5-gallon bucket. Set the bucket aside to cool. The soapy water will be milky but not particularly sudsy. Use a generic spray bottle filled with this soap solution, and spray your aphid-suspect plants daily, above side and underside of leaf. This will discourage the ants and the aphids. It is not a strong enough insecticide to create the usual leaf burning, and can be performed morning, noon or night. In fact plants love the dilute, soapy water. This treatment can be repeated repeatedly. It will save your plants and increase yields without compromising plant growth, photosynthesis or integrity of medicine. Richo
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shelby –
Hi there – I live on the Oregon coast, wondering if beginning of June would be too late to direct seed into ground? Thanks!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Shelby,
Thanks for contacting. Not at all too late, they will do quite well I think. Richo
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Tessa Cohen –
Is this resina?
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Richo Cech –
hi tessa, no, resina was a name given to a mixed yellow and orange strain. i never found them to have any more resin than the one you’re on here, the orange calendula. richo
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Question
Jerrica Sweetnich –
Hi I’m in zone 6 in Ohio It’s been 90 and humid so I started my calendula seeds in a pot inside and they’re coming up beautifully. If I transplant jn ground now, with the heat, will they die? Or would it be best to wait to transplant them until fall. Thanks!
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Richo Cech –
hi jerrica, they will not die, they need to be transplanted now. r
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Bob –
Is this the Calendula Calypso Orange?
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Richo Cech –
hi bob, no, calypso can make varicolored flowers, our orange calendula just makes one color. I saw the writeup online about thiophenes and calypso, and that too is different. our calendula has the resins and flavonoids. r
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LA (verified owner) –
Hi, I planted strictly medicinal calendula seeds & two different types of calendula flowers have bloomed—one orange & the other yellow. I am not sure why they look so different, is this typical to see? Thanks!
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Richo Cech –
We do carry both orange and yellow cultivars so this would make sense if you planted mixed calendula. the active principles are similar regardless of color. r
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lucy –
I am writing a little story about Horizon Herb seeds. I was rummaging around in my shed and I came upon some seed packets from Horizon Herbs ( now Strictly Medicinal Herbs) from 2009. They had been resting quietly in the shed through many seasons. I thanked them and planted them and they came up very quickly. Quicker than I have ever seen before. Strictly Medicinal seeds are vibrant and full of love and light because they are loved honored and respected and raised with organic tender care.
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Beverly Jeans (verified owner) –
We couldn’t agree more <3
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Jess –
Hey there live in Colorado at about 6500ft very alkaline soil just purchased Montana and I have a creek in my yard, should I plant by the river Under the trees or create a row with peat and compost added into out native clay soil? Also should I sow direct into the ground or transplant? Thanks peace n love
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Richo Cech –
hi Jess, If you’re talking about Arnica montana then I think the moist, boggy spot would be good. Yes, you can augment with peat moss. Richo
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Jess –
Thanks so much would you recommend direct sowing or start in trays? It’s averaging about 35-50 at night and I’m afraid I’m to late in spring to start. I’m doing arnica and calendula I was thinking of doing your recommended 80% peat 20% worm castings in trays then transplant when established by the river with more peat n worm castings in native clay soil. Hopefully I’m in the right direction both new plants for me so completely clueless haha thanks for your time to answer my questions appreciate you !
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Richo Cech –
these can be started indoors and should be transplanted very early so as not to overgrow in pots. i without exception direct-seed mine, it is really the best way to do it.
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gardengate500 –
To Nikki – I just thought you might lije to know this little tidbit of infi:
Calendula is a plant known to be used in companion planting. Their specific use is to attract aphids, which they do very, very well! This keeps the aphids off, and away from all the other plants.
We normally just let them munch away! However, if the aphid colony gets too big and the Calendula begins to wane, we simply cut it back, and discard all the aphid covered parts. The Calendula plant responds quite well, and like a trooper, it keeps on growing, sometimes stronger than before!
And as Richo mentioned, inviting a batch of Lady Bugs over for lunch keeps everything in check too!
Good Luck ?
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Question
Kerry Keel –
Just found your site. I see a lot of information about medicinal plants, of which I am VERY interested. I live in south eastern Alabama, what would I need to produce a useful, general purpose garden of medicinal plants? I am thinking of common, and maybe some not so common needs people have because of sickness, or other common issues people have, such as sores, insect bite, sting, burns, aches and pain, to air/water borne diseases.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Kerry,
Well, Calendula is the best place to start. Beyond that, Saint Johns Wort, chamomile, valerian and comfrey. You probably already have many of the essentials–yarrow, burdock, dandelion, plantain and self heal nearby. If you don’t, then those are good suggestions as well. Check our LIFELINE seeds or SURVIVAL or ESSENTIAL MEDICINALS or indeed any of the hundreds of useful varieties you can locate at http://www.strictlymedicinalseeds.com
we also suggest you read “making plant medicine” for the standard types and “growing at-risk” for the rare types.
Richo
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Question
Steve –
Hi. Which Calendula is best for medicine?
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Steve, Any of the 3 cultivars we have available in seed form are equally useful. You just want to avoid the “pacific beauty” type cultivars and you’ll be fine.
Richo
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Marie Irene Knoll –
100 % satisfaction. Absolutely love this company.
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