is calendula a perennial - #26709
I am really confused about my garden situation! A few weeks ago, I planted some flowers and I heard that calendula is awesome for attracting bees and butterflies, which I want! But now I'm starting to wonder, **is calendula a perennial** or am I gonna have to replant it every year? I remember the lady at the garden center saying it was good for the summer. But like, I thought perennials come back on their own and I kinda want that instead of worrying about planting seeds or seedlings again and again. I tried looking this up, but the info seems all over the place. Some say it's an annual?? but some mention it being a perennial? which feels confusing. My plan was to have a pretty flower bed that just comes back each year without too much fuss. I've also read that calendula can tolerate strange weather but does that mean it is more hardy too? What if I want to use calendula for skin stuff, does that change anything about **is calendula a perennial**? Any help with this would be amazing, because I really want to make sure I don’t mess up my garden! I don't wanna end up with a bed of dead plants next spring... ugh! Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
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Doctors' responses
Calendula is typically considered an annual, meaning you would generally need to replant it each year. However, it’s a bit more nuanced than that. In some milder climates, where winters aren’t too harsh, calendula might behave more like a short-lived perennial. It can self-seed, which means that if left to its own devices, the seeds from this year’s plants might sprout on their own come next spring. But this tends to be less reliable than true perennials that regenerate from the same root system year after year. In terms of hardiness, calendula can tolerate cooler weather better than many other annuals, which may contribute to some of the confusion. It certainly can withstand light frost, but a hard freeze will typically be the end of this year’s planting. If you’re set on a perennial bed that’s fuss-free, you might consider including some easy-going perennials alongside the calendula to create continuity in your garden while enjoying the vibrant blooms it offers for a good portion of the year. As for its famous skin benefits, calendula flowers are often used in homemade salves and creams due to their anti-inflammatory properties, but this doesn’t change its growing habits in the garden. If prioritizing low-maintenance perennials is your goal, you might have to do a bit of annual planting with calendula to get all its benefits, both in terms of aesthetics and potential homemade remedies. To balance this, keep an eye out for those self-seeded volunteers; they might save you some effort in the long run.
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