Orange Calendula flower

Orange Calendula flower

Description

Title:
Orange Calendula flower
Caption / Description:

Calendula, or pot marigold, is a genus of about 12-20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the area from Macaronesia east through the Mediterranean region to Iran. Calendula should not be confused with other plants that are also known as marigolds, such as plants of the genus Tagetes, corn marigolds or marsh marigolds.

The name Calendula stems from the Latin kalendae, meaning first day of the month, presumably because pot marigolds are in bloom at the start of most months of the year. The common name marigold probably refers to the Virgin Mary, or its old Saxon name 'ymbglidegold', which means 'it turns with the sun'. Pot Marigolds typically bloom quickly (in under two months) in bright yellows, reds, and oranges throughout the summer and well into the fall.

Pot Marigolds are considered by many gardening experts as one of the most versatile flowers to grow in a garden, especially since it is easy to grow. Seeds sown in the spring, in most soils, will germinate freely in sunny or half-sunny locations. They do best, however, if planted in sunny locations with rich, well-drained soil. The leaves are spirally arranged, 5–18 cm long, simple, and slightly hairy. The flower heads range from pastel yellow to deep orange, and are 3–7 cm across, with both ray florets and disc florets. They have a spicy aroma and are produced from spring to autumn in temperate climates. It is recommended to deadhead (removal of dying flower heads) the plants regularly to maintain even blossom production.

Pot Marigolds are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth, The Gothic, Large Yellow Underwing and Setaceous Hebrew Character. Be advised not to plant in vegetable gardens.

Pot Marigold petals are considered edible. They are often used to add color to salads, and calendula extract is commonly added to chicken feed to produce darker egg yolks. Their aroma, however, is not sweet, and resembles the smell of hops in beer. The oil from its seed contains calendic acid, an essential component in soap products.

Description taken from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendula

Tags / Keywords:
  • Europe
  • UK
  • Britain
  • England
  • East Midlands
  • Biota
  • Life
  • Vitae
  • Eukaryota
  • Plantae
  • Plants
  • Magnoliophyta
  • Flowering Plants
  • Angiosperms
  • Magnoliopsida
  • Dicotyledons
  • Asteraceae
  • Asterales
  • Asters
  • Compositae
  • Daisies
  • Sunflowers
  • Rutland
  • Barnsdale Gardens
  • Calendula
  • Marigolds

Admin

Date Original Photo Taken:
Original File Name:
_MG_3503.CR2
Event:
Rating:
Date this image added/last updated on website:
Original File Dimensions:
4272px x 2848px
File Type:
JPEG
Color Mode:
RGB
Original Image Color Profile:
Adobe RGB (1998)

Location

Location Shown:
Sublocation:
Barnsdale Gardens
City:
Exton
Province/State:
Rutland
Country:
United Kingdom
World Region:
Europe
Location Created:
Sublocation:
Barnsdale Gardens
City:
Exton
Province/State:
Rutland
Country:
United Kingdom
World Region:
Europe
Geo-location:
52.688516913794, -0.65142668965306 View on map

Rights

Copyright Status:
Copyrighted
Licensing Status:
Rights Managed
Available for Editorial Use:
Yes
Available for Commercial Use:
No
Copyright Notice:
© 2010 Dave Kennard

Camera Data

Date Digital Resource was created:
Shutter speed:
1200 s
Aperture:
f/4
Camera Model:
Canon EOS 450D
ISO:
200
Exposure Compensation:
0
Focal Length:
100mm
Focal Length (35mm equiv.):
Metering Mode:
Multi-segment
Flash:
Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:
Manual
White Balance:
Manual
Light Source:
Exposure Program:
Manual

Additional shooting metadata

Lens:
Canon EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM
Filters used:
Additional Optics used:
Setup:
Handheld

Post Processing

Image Modified:
Software used:
  • Adobe Camera RAW
Post Processing:

-0.55
11 recovery in ACR