Marigold | Garden Marigold | Common Marigold

Also known as Souci, Marybud, Bulls Eye, Garden Marigold, Holligold, Marybud, Pot Marigold and Common Marigold. From the family Compositae.

Native of Mediterranean and Iran. Distributed throughout the world as a garden plant.

This sunny little flower - the 'merry buds' of Shakespeare - was first used in Indian and Arabic cultures, before being 'discovered' by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.

The Egyptians valued the marigold as a rejuvenating herb, and the Greeks garnished and flavored food with its golden petals. The botanical name comes from the Latin 'calendae', meaning the first day of the month.

In India wreaths of marigold were used to crown the gods and goddesses. In medieval times they were considered an emblem of love and used as chief ingredient in a complicated spell that promised young maidens knowledge of whom they would marry. To dream of them was a sign of all good things; simply to look at them would drive away evil humors.

In the American Civil War, marigold leaves were used by the doctors on the battlefield to treat open wounds.

Species

Calendula officinalis

Marigold

Hardy annual. Hi and spread 60cm (24in). Daisy like, single or double flowers, yellow or orange: from spring to autumn. Light green, aromatic, lance-shaped leaves.

Cultivation

Propagation

Seeds

Seeds can be sown in the autumn under protection directly into prepared pots or singly into plug trays, covering lightly with compost. They can be wintered in these containers and planted out in the spring after any frost, 30-45cm (12-18in) apart.

Pests and Diseases

Slugs love the leaves of young marigolds. Keep night-time vigil with a torch and a bucket, or lay beer traps. In the latter part of the season, plants can become infested with black fly. Treat this in the early stages by brushing off the fly and cutting away the affected areas, or later on by spraying with a horticultural soap. Very late in the season, the leaves sometimes become covered with a powdery mildew. Cut off those affected and burn them in case it spreads.

Maintenance

Spring: Sow seeds in garden.

Summer: Dead head flowers to promote more flowering.

Autumn: Sow seeds under protection for early spring flowering.

Winter: Protect young plants.

Garden Cultivation

Marigold is a very tolerant plant, growing in any soil that is not waterlogged, but prefers, and looks best in, a sunny position. The flowers are sensitive to variations of temperature and dampness. Open flowers forecast a fine day. Encourage continuous flowering by dead heading. It self-seeds abundantly but seems never to become a nuisance.

Harvesting

Pick flowers just as they open during summer, both for fresh use and for drying. Dry at a low temperature. You can make a colorful oil. Pick leaves young for fresh use; they are not much good preserved.

Culinary

Flower petals make a very good culinary dye. They have been used for butter and cheese, and as a poor man's saffron to color rice. They are also lovely in salads and omelettes, and make an interesting cup of tea. Young leaves can be added to salads.

Sweet Marigold Buns

Makes 18

100g/4oz softened butter

100g/4oz caster sugar

2 eggs, size 1 or 2

100g/4oz self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons fresh marigold petals

Put the butter, sugar, eggs, sifted flour and baking powder into bowl, and mix together until smooth and glossy. Fold in 1½ tablespoons of marigold petals. Turn the mixture into greased bun tins or individual paper cake cases. Sprinkle a few petals onto each bun with a little sugar. Bake in an oven 160°C/325°F/gasmark3 for approximately 25-30 minutes.

Container growing

Marigolds look very cheerful in containers and combine well with other plants. Well suited to window boxes, but not so in hanging baskets, where they will become stretched and leggy.

Use the bark, peat compost. Pinch out the growing tips to stop the plant from becoming too tall and leggy. Dead head flowers to encourage more blooms.

Other uses

There are many skin and cosmetic preparations that contain marigold. Infuse the flowers and use as a skin lotion to reduce large pores, nourish and clear the skin, and clear up spots and pimples.

Medicinal

Marigold flowers contain antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that promote healing. Make a compress or poultice of the flowers for burns, scalds, or stings. Also useful in the treatment of varicose veins, chilblains and impetigo. A cold infusion may be used as an eyewash for conjunctivitis, and can be a help in the treatment of thrush. The sap from the stem has a reputation for removing warts, corns and calluses.