Coffee and Cream Calendula is a frost-tolerant flower that brings warm, bicolor blooms to gardens across zones 6 through 11. This cultivar of Calendula officinalis reaches a compact 12 to 24 inches tall and produces harvestable flowers in just 45 days, making it one of the quickest calendulas to bloom. Direct sown around your last frost date, it thrives in full sun and moderate water, rewarding patient gardeners with prolific, self-sowing growth that returns year after year.
Full Sun
Moderate
6-11
24in H x 12in W
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Moderate
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The name alone hints at its striking appearance: warm cream petals layered with coffee-toned centers create a sophisticated two-tone effect that stands out among single-color calendulas. It germinates readily between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and tolerates cool weather in both spring and fall, making it adaptable across a broad hardiness range. Once established, this variety self-sows reliably, meaning your first planting often seeds the garden for seasons to come without replanting effort.
Calendula flowers are traditionally harvested for their ornamental appeal and historical medicinal uses. The blooms can be dried and brewed, or used fresh to add subtle color and texture to arrangements. Many gardeners grow calendula for cutting, as the long stems and prolific flowering habit supply fresh blooms for weeks.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow around your last frost date. Calendula is hardy and tolerates cool weather in both spring and fall, so you can sow earlier than tender annuals. Press seed gently into the soil surface; calendula germinates best with light exposure.
Harvest flowers 45 days after sowing once they open fully. Cut blooms in the morning after dew dries for the longest vase life. Remove flowers regularly to encourage ongoing blooms throughout the season; allowing some to mature and drop seed will create self-sown plants for next year.
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