The Poinsettia remains a favorite plant for the holidays. Plants, like people, sometimes make a…
Plant Old Fashioned Annual Called Calendula
Plant old fashioned annual called Calendula.
From the large family of flowers called the Compositae comes the yellow or orange flower known as Calendula.
Rochester, NY seedsman James Vick (1818-1882) in his seed catalog of 1880 wrote this about the Calendula, “The Calendula is the fine old and well known Marigold family, which every one knows, but may not recognize by this name.”
Vick made reference also to the flower’s other name, “The old Pot Marigold, much favored for boiled mutton, is C. officinalis.”
From the herbal site called Sunkist Herbal, we read its role in Victorian society: “”The calendula (Calendula officinalis) is a hardy annual with single or double daisy-like blooms of yellow or orange. The 3- to 4-inch flowers open with the sun and close at night, leading the Victorians to believe they could set a clock by the
flower. The name ‘calendula’ is from the same Latin word as ‘calendar,’ presumably because the flower was in bloom almost every month of the year.”The Calendula has a long history in American gardens, appearing in the book Gardens of Colonial Williamsburg. “Typically, the beds are filled with pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis).”
The Encyclopedia of Gardening, first published in 1936, says that the Calendula “is one of the most popular tender annuals.”
In 1880 Vick wrote in the October issue of his magazine Vick’s Illustrated Monthly, “Every one knows the old yellow Marigold, for it is common as the Sunflower, and has been as long as we can remember. It is called in the books Calendula, but that makes no difference, for it is the same old Marigold that many of us have grown for half a century. That name was given because it was thought some species were in flower every month of the calendar.”
He concluded, “The Calendula will probably never take rank with the best annuals, but we are glad to see it make a bold start for the front after so long a stay in the rear. If its improvement should continue, there is no telling the future of this good old flower.”
Vick seemed to imply there that in 1880 the Calendula was making somewhat of a comeback.
Recently I purchased Calendula seeds. Plan to use this colorful plant in the garden this summer.
Vick would be happy.
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