Planting guide
When to plant calendula
Easy sunny daisies with edible petals that flower right through the cool months. In Melbourne it goes in Mar–Sep.
- Start as
- Seed, sown in place or Seedling
- Flowers in
- 7–10 wks
- Spacing
- 25 cm
- Depth
- 1 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Easy
- Colours
- orange, yellow, cream
- Frost-tender
- No
When it goes in
● means calendula can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Brisbane | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Perth | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Gold Coast | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Newcastle | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Sunshine Coast | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Canberra | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Central Coast | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Hobart | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Townsville | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Mandurah | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Launceston | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Mackay | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Rockhampton | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Coffs Harbour | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Bunbury | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Bundaberg | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Alice Springs | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Mildura | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Port Macquarie | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Christchurch | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| London | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Singapore | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
How to plant calendula
- Scatter or sow seed 1cm deep in autumn or early spring.
- Thin seedlings to 25cm apart.
- Pick flowers often to keep new buds coming.
- Let a few seed heads ripen for next year.
Calendula varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Fiesta Gitana Mix Classicheirloom · mixed · 7–10 wksMixed colours
- Pink Surprise Classic8–10 wksOrange flowers, about 60cm tall
- Balls Improved Orange Classic7–10 wksOrange flowers
- Orange Flash Classic8–10 wksOrange flowers, about 60cm tall
- Pacific Beauty Mix Classicmixed · 7–10 wksMixed colours
Where to buy seeds
Shop links may earn us a commission. It never changes what we recommend.
Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
What calendula does for your garden
Attracts hoverflies and lacewings that eat aphids; petals are edible.
Good neighbours
Calendula by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Marigold · Nasturtium · Borage · Sunflower · Cosmos · Sweet alyssum
Not sure calendula is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
Find what else you can plant now