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leafsleeve Joined: 1/29/2009 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 25	Posted: Jan/29/2009 3:15 PM PST Hello from upstate NY. My first day here and here is my first question. This spring I plan on growing Calendula. Is it true that the flowers are edible? How long do they bloom for? Thank you for any help. Quote \| Reply \| Report

yardgranny6 Joined: 7/05/2007 Location: Posts: 4556 Moderator	Posted: Jan/29/2009 8:06 PM PST Welcome to Garden Guides. If you will scroll down the forums to the Ornamental Gardens and post you question in either the annual or perennial thread, I am sure someone can help you. Linda B from SC Quote \| Reply \| Report

fairygarden Joined: 3/17/2008 Location: SC Posts: 2104 Moderator	Posted: Jan/30/2009 4:32 AM PST Good Morning and Welcome to GG. Quote \| Reply \| Report

witt Joined: 3/28/2008 Location: Lancaster, SC Posts: 16643 Moderator	Posted: Jan/30/2009 5:00 AM PST Welcome to Garden Guides. I'll look for your question in the forums. Quote \| Reply \| Report

leafsleeve Joined: 1/29/2009 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 25	Posted: Jan/30/2009 7:01 AM PST thank you all Quote \| Reply \| Report

leafsleeve Joined: 1/29/2009 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 25	Posted: Jan/30/2009 9:15 AM PST You all led me to my answer thank you. Calendula flowers can be used in soups, rice disdhes salads and baked goods. They have beautiful blooms from summer to fall. I believe they are part of the marigold family? Quote \| Reply \| Report

witt Joined: 3/28/2008 Location: Lancaster, SC Posts: 16643 Moderator	Posted: Jan/30/2009 1:10 PM PST Yes, they are in the marigold family. Quote \| Reply \| Report

TumbleWeed Joined: 7/26/2008 Location: Colorado Zone 5 Posts: 233	Posted: Jan/30/2009 2:12 PM PST Hi NY!!! My unintentional planting of calendula (I think it was in a seed packet of mixed flowers) has been a huge success in my garden and comes back every year like crazy. Love it! Though I haven't used it for any of it's other purposes besides color Quote \| Reply \| Report

Catalina Joined: 2/07/2009 Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana Posts: 8	Posted: Feb/07/2009 4:35 PM PST Dear leafsleeve, Yes calendula flower petals are edible. Calendula officinalis aka Pot Marigold is hardy to zone 6, can reseed in following years if you allow some flowers to go to seed. Grows in part shade or sun. They actually flower better in poor soils but like it well drained and moist. Raw leaves are also edible, add fresh chopped flower petals and leaves to salads. The orange varieties are used as poor man's saffron, a coloring agent for rice, soups etc. The dried flower petals are more concentrated in flavor. They can be used as a hair rinse to give golden tints to brown and auburn hair too. You can make a tea from the flowers. A yellow dye can be made from boiled flowers. You might be able to forecast rain, the flowers close when wet weather is likely to arrive. The flowers attract hover flies, their larvae eat aphids. They are good companion plants with marigolds and tomatoes. Hope this helps. catalina Quote \| Reply \| Report

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