Calendula officinalis L.
Calendula officinalis
Calendula officinalis, also known as pot marigold or common marigold, is a short-lived aromatic herbaceous perennial plant. It grows to about 80 cm (31 in) tall with sparsely branched stems and oblong-lanceolate leaves that are hairy on both sides. The flowers are yellow or orange, comprising a thick capitulum (flowerhead) surrounded by two rows of hairy bracts. The florets are tubular and hermaphroditic, with the disc florets typically being a more intense orange-yellow than the peripheral ray florets. The plant can flower year-round in suitable conditions and produces thorny curved achenes as fruit.
Details
Asterales
Asteraceae
Calendula
The petals and pollen contain triterpenoid esters, carotenoids such as flavoxanthin and auroxanthin (antioxidants responsible for the yellow-orange coloration), and other carotenoids like lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene in the leaves and stems. The flowers also contain flavonol glycosides, triterpene oligoglycosides, oleanane-type triterpene glycosides, saponins, and a sesquiterpene glucoside.
The florets are edible and have been used historically as medicine. The plant is utilized for making tea and has been used in ancient cultures for medicinal purposes, as a dye for fabrics, foods, and cosmetics. It is also used to make an oil widely used in skin products. Marigold leaves can be made into a poultice for healing scratches and shallow cuts, and the plant extracts are used in cosmetics due to the presence of compounds like saponins, resins, and essential oils. The flowers are a rich source of lutein.
Spring to Fall
Spring or Autumn
80 cm (31 in)
Yellow or Orange
Sunny locations with most kinds of soils, widely naturalised in warm temperate regions
Info
Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.
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