Calendula Pictures: Get to Know This Orange-Yellow Ornamental Flower

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant in the genus Calendula, family Asteraceae, commonly called pot marigold, and native to southern Europe; today it is very common in courtyards and flower beds across our country. When you search for calendula pictures online, what you mostly see is this orange-yellow flower that looks like a little sun.

In the pictures, the most obvious feature of calendula is its flower heads borne singly at the tips of the stems, with flower colors mainly yellow and orange and petals arranged in long strips in layer upon layer; there are both single-flowered and double-flowered types. The leaves are alternate, mostly oblong, and the whole plant is covered with fine soft hairs. The overall plant is not very tall, making it very suitable for container growing, and it is also often used to edge flower beds.

As for varieties, besides the single-flowered and double-flowered distinction, they can also be roughly divided by flower color into pale yellow, golden yellow, orange-red and other types; some double-flowered varieties have fuller blooms and stronger ornamental value. When planting, it likes a cool environment with plenty of light, has fairly good cold hardiness, and is generally propagated by seed, either sown in spring or autumn; its care is relatively undemanding, making it suitable for beginners to try.

Calendula is not only grown for ornament; in some regions its petals are also used to make tea, to add to dishes, or as a source of natural colorant. When enjoying the pictures, you can note the variation in shade of the flower color and the layering of the petals, which is also the most intuitive way to tell different varieties apart.