Calendula, or pot marigold (_Calendula officinalis_), is a hardy annual
plant native to southern Europe, but frequently grown in flower gardens
in this country. The dried flower heads are sometimes used in soups
and stews, and the so-called petals (ligulate florets) are employed in
medicine.
Calendula grows well on a variety of soils, but a moderately rich
garden loam will give the best results. The seed may be sown in open
ground early in the spring in drills 18 inches apart. As soon as the
seedlings are well established they should be thinned to stand about
a foot apart in the row. In the North it is desirable to sow the seed
about the first of April in coldframes or spent hotbeds and transplant
the young seedlings as soon as the danger of frost is past.
The plants blossom early and continue to bloom throughout the summer.
The flowers are gathered at intervals of a few days and carefully
dried. The petals (florets) which form the drug may be removed either
before or after the flower heads are dried. The petals are removed by
hand, but this process requires so much time that when the cost of the
necessary labor is taken into account it is doubtful whether the price
received for the drug would cover the cost of production.
The dried whole flowers produced in this country were quoted in the
wholesale markets in June, 1920, at 25 cents to $1 a pound, according
to quality; the petals, at $1.95 to $2.10 a pound.