Pot Marigold

Pot Marigold
Calendula officinalis
(ka-LEN-dew-luh) (oh-fiss-ih-NAH-liss)
Synonym: English Marigold

This picture was shot in early October and you can see the Calendula was still shining brightly. Being a good cool weather plant is one of things I love about Pot Marigolds. They can really fire up the fall garden.

There are about 20 species of Calendula and they are mostly native to Europe and the North Africa region to Iran, and the entire Mediterranean region in between. They have been in cultivation for thousands of years. Many medicinal properties are associated with these flowers and the oils are used to treat a variety of maladies.

Since it is Sunday and that means Todays Flowers here is a bonus flower. Today’s Flowers for flower pictures from around the world.

Here is a plant that I hadn’t seen in so long I had forgotten about it. Quite a dramatic landscape plant the large patch at the NYBG was really a sight to see. The twigs have just enough color to add to the effect. It was growing in a bottom area that had obviously been recently flooded.


Black Pussy Willow
Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys'
(SAL-iks) (grass-il-ih-STY-luh)

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria
Wisteria floribunda
(wis-TEER-ee-uh)

This is from the Wisteria Tree at the Estate. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone because of the amount of pruning it takes to keep it looking good. When it is blooming it sure is beautiful and worth the work. This is its best year in quite a few for flowers. If you have never seen a Wisteria tree it is simply the vine that has been trained into a tree. It is quite vigorous but doesn’t need a support. I like to buy my Wisterias in flower although I don’t use them very often. I carefully consider where they are planted due to their invasive and rampant growth.

Trailing Calendula
Calendula suffruticosa subsp. maritima 'Skyfire Yellow'
(ka-LEN-dew-luh)

Sea Marigold is a critically endangered species in its native area of Sicily. It really has an intense yellow flower and while it was being sold in the perennial area of the nursery I don’t think it is hardy here. Calendulas are always fun to have in the garden. They are a well behaved and colorful groups of plants.

Pot Marigold

Pot Marigold
Calendula officinalis 'Kablouna Mix'
(ka-LEN-dew-luh) (oh-fiss-ih-NAH-liss)
Synonym: English Marigold

This beautiful flower came from a packet of seed I sowed last spring. I just prepared the ground and put the seed out and it produced an interesting mix of colors. Calendula is actually an edible flower that the petals can also be used for skin ointments. Medicinal uses for this Mediterranean native date back to the 12th century. It is a cool season annual that benefits from being cut back in hot weather.

I have been going through old pictures on my hard drive in preparation for making some back up disks and have been copying the files on to another external hard disk. All you photographers please don’t put his off too long! I actually lost the original files from all the pictures I took in 2004 and 2005 because my external HD failed and when I went to use my back up DVDs they were blank. Since then I have put a new system in place for backups. Over the next couple of days I will backing up all the photos I took last year (most are done) and will be featuring some of the extra flowers that I find.


This white Clematis is trained to grow up a Japanese Maple seedling that I got at the Bartlett Arboretum plant sale a few years ago. I find that small trees and shrubs can offer a good support for the vines to grow. I like how the flowers stand out against the green Maple foliage. It seems to keep the deer from eating the Clematis, also. Plus you will probably be the only one on your block with a 'Flowering' Japanese Maple