My Favorite Fall Flower
As the flower-growing season begins to fade with the arrival of fall here in the mountains of North Carolina, I still have a few bright spots left in the garden. Many plants are winding down for the season, but one of my favorites that’s still hanging on is the cheerful calendula.
These happy little flowers are carefree and simple to grow. I follow the “lazy gardener” philosophy, so I’m all for plants I can “set and forget.” Better yet, once established, calendula often reseed themselves, so you might even find some volunteers popping up next year with no effort at all. Plus, they don’t take over like some other plants you might have added to your yard (I’m looking at you, lemon balm).
Planting Calendula – Fun for Kids
You can start calendula indoors and transplant them after the last frost, or simply sow them directly into your garden beds. We tried both methods this year, but the direct-sown seeds produced sturdier, happier plants. My kids, especially, love planting calendula because of the unique shape of the seeds — they resemble tiny worms! We had fun pretending to plant worms in the soil. If you’d like to add some other easy-to-grow seeds and flower bulbs to accompany your calendulas, there are a lot of fun options on Eden Brothers’ Kids’ Garden page.
How Calendula Helps Your Garden Fight Pests Naturally – A Trap Crop!
I love calendula because it’s a multi-purpose flower. Not only does it add a cheerful pop of orange or yellow to the garden, but it also helps deter pests. I learned this year that calendula works as a “trap crop.” It’s not about music tastes — instead, it attracts bugs that might otherwise damage your other plants.
Many of the smaller pests get caught on calendula’s sticky stems, sparing nearby vegetables, herbs, and flowers. I’ve especially noticed aphids clustering on the stems just below the blooms. Even better, calendula actually attracts ladybugs, which are a great garden helper. One of the ladybugs’ favorite snacks is aphids, which is a perfect natural assist to a thriving garden. Additionally, calendula has a scent that repels pests like rabbits and other hungry critters that use smell as their guide to their dinner – in other words, your garden!
Beyond the Garden Bed: The Edible Power of Calendula
Calendula is a fine companion plant, but that’s not the only reason I come back to it every year. It’s a true multi-use powerhouse. Both the flowers and leaves are edible — you can toss them on a salad for a splash of color, decorate cakes, or freeze them in ice cubes for a fun summer drink if you’re feeling fancy! They’re a small but lovely way to elevate everyday meals. The kids love to run out and pick the flowers themselves and especially think it’s funny that we can actually eat some types of flowers.
DIY Calendula Salve: A Simple Herbal Remedy
Not only are they edible, but calendula has long been valued for its medicinal qualities. Calendula has been used in herbal remedies for centuries. It’s known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is commonly used in ointments for soothing skin irritations and helping wounds heal. This year, I’m making my own salve from my harvest. First, I dried the flowers completely. Then I placed them in a sanitized jar, covered them with jojoba oil (though any carrier oil works), and let them infuse. I’ll let it sit in the pantry for a month or so to ensure it has plenty of time to draw out the beneficial properties of the calendula petals. Once the petals are strained out, I’ll mix the oil with melted beeswax to create a soothing, healing balm for winter.
Fun Calendula Crafts for Kids
Calendula has also inspired some fun craft projects with my kids. We’ve pressed the flowers for artwork, experimented with drying them in silicone granules (which helps preserve their color and shape), and made garlands from the dried blooms.
A family favorite is “flower hammering.” We sandwich various flower petals and leaves between sheets of paper, then hammer them to transfer their colors and patterns to the paper. We’ve found that calendula is one of the best for transferring bright orange and yellow to the paper. We like to use whole flowers in this method as a “sunshine” for our art “meadow.”
I like to turn these into handmade greeting cards, while my kids just love having an excuse to use a hammer! Pressed petals also make lovely accents for homemade candles or soaps, another fun way to bring the garden indoors.
Eden Brothers offers a huge assortment of flower and vegetable seeds that are popular for crafters: colorful strawflowers (great for drying), gourds, flax, pumpkins, and many others!
The Final Verdict: Calendula, the Must-Have Flower for Next Season
As the main growing season comes to a close, I’m already reflecting on what did and didn’t do well in the garden, what should be benched next season, and which new players I should introduce in their place. But one thing is for sure: I will be bringing back the calendula year after year – a small flower with a big place in my garden and heart!
Written by: Crystal Provenzano
NGB Member: Eden Brothers
“This post is an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”
4 Comments. Leave new
I Love calendula! It is a perfect plant for a child’s garden and a grandmother’s garden!
Can you provide more information on planting Calendulas? Can they take humid hot summers ? I’m in zone 7a or B. I tried planting some inside and outside but they didn’t come up or only came up about an inch. We did have a rainy cool spring.
Here is more information about Calendulas – https://ngb.org/year-of-the-calendula/. Calendulas do best in cool weather and may stop blooming in mid-summer heat. They will likely start to bloom again in the cooler weather.
This is exceptionally well-written and informative! I will take this advice and plant some.