Erfurter Orangefarbige is a vibrant calendula variety traditionally grown for its medicinal qualities and cheerful, sun-bright blooms. While the leaves are bitter, the vivid orange petals are mild and slightly sweet perfect for scattering through salads, baking into sweet treats or adding colour to soups (hence the nickname pot marigold).

Dry the petals to create a natural dye once known as poor mans saffron or even add to chicken feed to deepen golden yolks. Easy to grow and wonderfully generous, its a beautiful and useful addition to any garden or container.

Sowing:
Indoor: FebMar
Outdoor: AprJune

Timing:
Germination: 715 days
Harvest: 4060 days

Spacing:
Sow 35 cm apart, depth 1 cm
Thin to 35 cm

Growing conditions:
Sunlight: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained, light and moist
Watering: Regular, moderate watering
Feeding: Light feeder

Care tip:
Low maintenance and ideal for containers, calendula will happily self-seed so keep an eye out if youd prefer not to be overrun with orange blooms.

Supporting:
Pollinators: Attracts bees, butterflies and ladybirds.
Pest control: Helps deter a range of garden pests.