Calendula Orange’ edible Flowers Seed

Calendula officinalis 'Ball's Orange' is an old-fashioned variety that has remained a garden staple for good reason. Large, fully double, vivid orange flowers grow on sturdy 24-inch stems from spring through fall, performing best in the cool weather of early and late season. The petals are edible — a long-valued culinary and medicinal herb in cottage garden tradition — and the flowers are excellent for cutting, attracting bees and butterflies, and brightening beds and borders. One of the most reliable and rewarding annuals you can direct sow.

Plant Highlights

• Large, fully double vivid orange flowers; long-lasting as a cut flower
• Edible petals — traditional culinary and medicinal herb
• Attracts bees and butterflies; excellent pollinator plant
• Performs best in cool weather; ideal for spring and fall gardens
• Deer resistant; self-sows readily
• Approx. 4,600 seeds per oz

Growing Guide

Starting indoors: Sow in cell packs, pressing seeds into soil and lightly covering. Keep at 70°F; germination in 7–14 days.

Direct sowing: Sow into prepared seedbeds after all frost danger has passed in spring. Lightly cover seeds with peat moss; sow 6 seeds per foot and thin to 8–12 inches apart.

Site & soil: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil (pH 5.8–6.5). Calendula is not fussy about soil quality but requires good drainage. Regular deadheading extends the bloom season significantly.

Season tip: In mild-winter areas, Calendula can be grown as a fall-through-spring annual — sow in September for winter and early spring blooms.

Planting Specs

• Type: Annual
• USDA Zones: 3–10
• Height: 16–24 inches
• Bloom season: Spring through fall
• Bloom color: Orange
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained, pH 5.8–6.5
• Deer resistant: Yes
• Germ temp: 70°F | Avg. germ time: 7–14 days
• Spacing: 12 inches