Pot marigold (or Calendula) is a perennial or annual herb originating from southern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean area (Flora of the British Isles, 1987, New crops for temperate Regions, 1993). Marigolds are a well known garden plant. There are two varieties easily distinguishable by their fruit sizes, C. vulgare with a fruit diameter of 3.5 mm and C. microcarpum with a fruit diameter of 1.5 - 3.0 mm.

The annual form is more widely grown and grows to a height of 50-75cm and is usually multi-stemmed, with a strong taproot. The vegetative parts of the plant are mid-green in colour and the stems are angular and covered in fine hairs. The lower leaves of the plant are paddle-shaped whilst the upper leaves are smaller and more pointed. The composite flowers are yellow to orange and are born on multi-branched stalks. The flower heads are heterogamous. i.e. the outer flowers are female whilst the inner flowers are disk flowers which are pseudo-hermaphroditic and sterile female. The fruit is an achene made up of winged and unwinged types. The seeds are grey or light brown in colour and vary in shape, decreasing in size towards the center of the head. The thousand grain weight for Calendula is 9.6g.

The plant has many traditional culinary and herbal uses. The dye obtained from the flowers is used to colour and flavour foods like rice, soups, cheeses and butter. An infusion made from the crushed foliage has cleansing and antiseptic properties and is used for soothing and healing skin wounds, also as a remedy for certain digestive disorders. more info click here .