Calendula officinalis

Calendula officinalis
UBC Botanical Garden
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Calendula
Species:
C. officinalis
Binomial name
Calendula officinalis
Synonyms
  • Calendula aurantiaca Kotschy ex Boiss.
  • Calendula eriocarpa DC.
  • Calendula hydruntina (Fiori) Lanza
  • Calendula prolifera Hort. ex Steud.
  • Calendula × santamariae Font Quer
  • Caltha officinalis (L.) Moench

Calendula officinalis, Mary's gold, common marigold, the pot marigold, Scotch marigold, or ruddles, is a flowering plant in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is probably native to southern Europe, but its long history of cultivation makes its precise origin unknown, and it is widely naturalised. The florets are edible and the plant has historically been used as medicine.

The names marigold and Mary's gold were given by the English people to honour Mary, mother of Jesus, who was said to wear "a crown of gold that circles the earth".