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Calendula officinalis
It is a short-lived aromatic perennial plant, growing to 80 cm tall, with sparsely branched lax or erect stems. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, 5–17 cm long, hairy on both sides, and with margins entire or occasionally waved or weakly toothed. The inflorescences are yellow, comprising a thick capitulum or flowerhead 4–7 cm diameter surrounded by two rows of hairy bracts; in the wild plant they have a single ring of ray florets surrounding the central disc florets. The disc florets are tubular and hermaphrodite, and generally of a more intense orange-yellow colour than the female, tridentate, peripheral ray florets. The flowers may appear all year long where conditions are suitable. The fruit is a thorny curved achene. (Wikipedia)
It is probably native to southern Europe. It is also widely naturalised further north in Europe (north to southern England) and elsewhere in warm temperate regions of the world.
Calendula officinalis is widely cultivated as a herb. The abbey of Pannonhalma got it in their garden to where I took the picture.
Spotted on Jun 17, 2012
Submitted on Jun 17, 2012
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