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 | |
| 
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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".