The birth flower for October is Calendula, a herb also known as Pot Marigold. This is an incredibly versatile edible plant and has been used in many ways over the years.
Tom Sharples, Suttons Horticultural Manager has this to say about Calendula. “Often known as the Pot marigold, a reference to its use in cooking. The edible petals can be used fresh in salads or dried and used to colour cheeses. Often used a substitute to saffron for colouring. In Germany it’s used in soups and in the Middle East in a lot of traditional dishes.” Calendula has also been used as a yellow dye, dried and used as tea and used in creams and ointments to heal wounds and to sooth sore skin.
Calendula is an easy to grow hardy annual (HA) which means it will tolerate spring sowing for June to September flowering or can be sown in August/September to flower the following May/July. The seeds can be sown direct outside in the garden where they are flower. Although they prefer full sun calendula will grow in partial shade and will benefit from regular dead-heading.
In our 2016 range we offer a choice of 8 different varieties:
Calendula Apricot Pygmy
– Dwarf plants
– Extra-large double blooms
– Height 25cm
Calendula Daisy Mix
– Brightly coloured flowers
– Ideal for pots and summer bedding
– Height 20cm
Calendula Lemon Zest
– Silvery-lemon blooms
– Lon-blooming
– Dwarf, branching and quick growing
– Height 20cm
Calendula Neon
– Orange petals with bronze tips
– Ultra-double flowers
– Height 50-70cm
Calendula Orange King
– Enormous double bright orange flowers
– Long flowering
– Height 45cm
Calendula Pink Surprise
– Salmon-pink flowers with a touch of delicate orange
– Fully double blooms
– Height 45cm
Calendula Porcupine
– Unusual spikey flowers with quilled petals
– Blooms up to first frosts
– Height 45cm
Calendula Princess Mix
– Double blooms with quilled central petals
– Ideal for cutting
– Height 60-70cm
No matter in which month you celebrate your birthday most gardens will be enhanced by the inclusion of at least one variety of Calendula.
Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Suttons Horticultural Team
