Pacific Apricot Beauty
Calendula officinalis
Photo: Kowloonese · Wikimedia Commons · (CC BY-SA 3.0)
2-3" wide fully double blooms. Tall, vigorous, healthy plants with sturdy stems. More uniform plant habit and flower size than other calendulas in our trials within this color range. Cream-colored ray petals darken to apricot at the petal edges. Also known as pot marigold, common marigold, and Scotch marigold. Edible Flowers: Petals of the flowers can be used fresh or dried in "flower confetti," soups, soufflés, rice dishes, baked goods, and to garnish desserts. Calendula is a popular choice for brightening up salad mix. Flavor is tangy and slightly bitter. Remove the petals from the flower base before consuming as the base can be quite bitter.
Harvest
50-55d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
12-24 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Pacific Apricot Beauty in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 flower →Zone Map
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Pacific Apricot Beauty · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – May | June – July | June – August | — |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | June – July | — |
| Zone 5 | March – April | May – June | May – July | — |
| Zone 6 | March – April | May – June | May – July | — |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | April – June | — |
| Zone 8 | February – March | April – May | April – June | — |
| Zone 9 | January – February | March – April | March – May | — |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | February – April | — |
| Zone 1 | May – June | July – August | July – September | — |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | June – August | — |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | January – March | — |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | January – March | — |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | January – March | — |
Succession Planting
Start the first round indoors in February or direct sow in April once soil temps reach 60°F. Sow again every 3 weeks through early June to keep a continuous bloom going into summer. Calendula slows hard when daytime highs push past 85°F — that summer gap is predictable, so plan around it rather than chase it with extra water. Start a fall run by direct sowing in late August or early September; those plants will carry through first frost and often shrug off light freezes, giving you blooms well into November in zone 7.
Complete Growing Guide
2-3" wide fully double blooms. Tall, vigorous, healthy plants with sturdy stems. More uniform plant habit and flower size than other calendulas in our trials within this color range. Cream-colored ray petals darken to apricot at the petal edges. Also known as pot marigold, common marigold, and Scotch marigold. Edible Flowers: Petals of the flowers can be used fresh or dried in "flower confetti," soups, soufflés, rice dishes, baked goods, and to garnish desserts. Calendula is a popular choice for brightening up salad mix. Flavor is tangy and slightly bitter. Remove the petals from the flower base before consuming as the base can be quite bitter. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Pacific Apricot Beauty is 50 - 55 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Cold Tolerant, Grows Well in Containers, Use for Cut Flowers and Bouquets, Edible Flowers, Attracts Beneficial Insects.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Pacific Apricot Beauty reaches harvest at 50 - 55 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 2-3" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
Seeds ripe from August to November.
Type: Achene.
Harvest time: Fall
Edibility: Flower petals give color to soups, custards, and rice; also used in cookies, vinegars.
Storage & Preservation
For fresh petals, store on a paper towel-lined plate in the refrigerator at 35-40°F for 3-5 days. Keep humidity moderate to prevent wilting. For longer preservation, air-dry petals by spreading them on screens in a warm, dark, well-ventilated space for 1-2 weeks until papery, then store in airtight containers away from light. Alternatively, freeze petals in ice cube trays with water for culinary use, or preserve them in honey for salads and dessert garnishes.
History & Origin
Pacific Apricot Beauty is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Mediterranean
Advantages
- +Fully double 2-3" blooms with distinctive cream-to-apricot coloring
- +More uniform plant habit and flower size than other calendulas
- +Tall vigorous plants with sturdy stems ideal for cutting
- +Edible petals add tangy flavor to salads and desserts
- +Quick 50-55 day maturity and easy to grow
Considerations
- -Petals require careful removal from bitter flower base before eating
- -Can self-seed aggressively if deadheading is not maintained
- -Prefers cool weather and may decline in hot summers
Companion Plants
Chives and catmint both pull in beneficial insects — chive flowers attract hoverflies whose larvae eat aphids, and catmint brings in predatory wasps — which matters because calendula is a known aphid collector. Sweet alyssum works the same way and stays low enough (4-6 inches) not to cut into the calendula's light. Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is the one to keep off the list entirely: juglone toxicity builds in the soil beneath the canopy and will stunt calendula badly. Sunflowers are a quieter problem — they don't poison anything, but at 5-6 feet they'll shade out a 12-24 inch plant fast and pull hard on soil moisture doing it.
Plant Together
Marigolds
Repel aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting nearby flowers
Sweet Alyssum
Attracts beneficial insects like lacewings and parasitic wasps for pest control
Lavender
Repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes while attracting pollinators
Catmint
Deters ants, aphids, and cabbage looper moths with natural compounds
Cosmos
Attracts beneficial insects and provides complementary colors without competition
Chives
Repel aphids and other soft-bodied insects with sulfur compounds
Zinnia
Attracts ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and other beneficial predatory insects
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth and can kill sensitive flowering plants
Eucalyptus
Releases allelopathic compounds that suppress growth of nearby plants
Sunflowers
Release allelopathic chemicals and compete aggressively for nutrients and water
Troubleshooting Pacific Apricot Beauty
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
White powdery coating on leaves and stems, usually starting mid-summer when nights cool down
Likely Causes
- Powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) — a fungal disease that thrives when days are warm and nights are cool, and airflow is poor
- Plants spaced too close together — less than 12 inches apart
What to Do
- 1.Cut out and trash the worst-affected stems; don't compost them
- 2.Spray remaining foliage with a diluted baking soda solution (1 tablespoon per gallon of water) or a neem oil product every 7 days
- 3.Next planting, space at the full 12-18 inches and avoid wetting the foliage when you water
Flower buds forming but very few opening, or blooms dropping quickly after opening
Likely Causes
- Heat stress — calendula blooming slows sharply when daytime temps consistently exceed 85°F
- Plants not being deadheaded, signaling the plant to stop producing
What to Do
- 1.Deadhead spent blooms every 3-5 days — cut the stem back to the next leaf node, not just the flower head
- 2.During a summer heat spike, give afternoon shade and extra water to extend the flush
- 3.In hot climates, plan a fall sowing; direct sow 10-12 weeks before first frost to get a second productive window
Sticky, distorted new growth with small soft-bodied insects clustered on stem tips
Likely Causes
- Aphid infestation (commonly Myzus persicae or Macrosiphum euphorbiae) — calendula is a known aphid magnet, which is sometimes intentional as a trap crop
- Lack of nearby predatory insect habitat
What to Do
- 1.Knock aphids off with a strong stream of water from a hose — do this in the morning so foliage dries before evening
- 2.If the colony is heavy, spray with insecticidal soap (2 teaspoons per quart of water), hitting the undersides of leaves
- 3.Plant sweet alyssum or chives within a few feet to draw in parasitic wasps and lacewings that feed on aphids
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Pacific Apricot Beauty calendula flowers last after harvesting?▼
Is Pacific Apricot Beauty calendula good for beginner gardeners?▼
Can you grow Pacific Apricot Beauty calendula in containers?▼
What does Pacific Apricot Beauty calendula taste like?▼
When should I plant Pacific Apricot Beauty calendula seeds?▼
How do I use calendula petals in cooking?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.