# Georgian (the country) cooking question: are marigold and calendula the same thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675 "2016-01-10T06:10:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/1 "2016-01-10T06:10:59Z")
I love Georgian food, but have access to it primarily only via cookbooks. Many recipes call for dried marigold as an ingredient, which I have never seen for sale anywhere in the U.S. (or anywhere else, for that matter). Is it a particular species? Or is it actually calendula, which seems to be related and which I have occasionally seen for sale in the bulk herb section of health food stores? I’m willing to take a shot at growing it if necessary, but what kind? ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/2 "2016-01-10T07:57:10Z")
Can’t answer for Georgia, but in the UK calendula is often known as marigold or pot marigold, and I’ve only come across calendula in use in recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/3 "2016-01-10T10:48:18Z")
If you decide to grow it the seeds you need are for _Calendula officinalis_ ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/4 "2016-01-10T11:42:41Z")
_Calendula_ is _a_ marigold, but it’s definitely the one used in cooking (and - egg dyeing! OK, any dyeing, really) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/5 "2016-01-10T12:15:20Z")
_Calendula_ is a genus. \* Calendula officinalis\* is a specific species. It is also the one used for cooking purposes. It can also be used in herbal medicine and as a dye. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/6 "2016-01-10T13:48:45Z")
Calendula for cooking and various herbal and dye preparations. Marigold(Tagetes spp.) for dyeing, keeping bunnies at bay, and animal feed(ask Frank Perdue) ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/7 "2016-01-10T15:05:20Z")
Thanks, guys. So any of [these](http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-143-calendula.aspx?source=W_herbs_ddcat) should work? Species is not listed, unfortunately, but they’re in the “herbs” section. P.S. I wish it weren’t so comparatively expensive to buy a packet of seeds vs. a half-ounce or an ounce. I really don’t have a lot of space, but I’m tempted to buy a larger amount and give some of them away because it’s more cost-effective. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/8 "2016-01-10T15:19:15Z")
Never buy a plant you intend to consume if the seller doesn’t provide the Latin for it. Try here: [https://www.strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product.asp?specific=389](https://www.strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product.asp?specific=389) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/9 "2016-01-10T15:20:39Z")
If you’d rather buy the dried flowers, these folks are good: [Calendula](https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/calendula-flowers/profile) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgian-the-country-cooking-question-are-marigold-and-calendula-the-same-thing/742675/10 "2016-01-10T15:22:37Z")
(And no, most of Johnnys plants are not the right ones. I would not swear to any of them by those pictures.)