I love them and have really appreciated them this year especially, when so many of my annuals were kind of duds (along with everything else in the garden lol).

I've never had any reseeding that I noticed, but I may have weeded them out early in the season.

Mine are a bit floppy, but it may be due to my neglect (getting them planted late, leaving them in milk jugs as they stretched for some light lol, etc) but I have them in a bed where I have my red, yellow and orange flowers, and they really add a nice touch to the bed. I even like the spent blooms - kinda cool!

I have tried a few varieties, always by seed. This year it's Neon, and they have indeed been in bloom for most of the season.

:)

Dee

Yes, they can overwinter, albeit perhaps looking a bit ratty, and keep flowering on into the following spring. And they can reseed. But they're not perennial. They are hardy annuals so can be direct sown quite early. Whether they'll overwinter in your climate I don't know.

I’m in a very different climate from yours, but for me these do not go all season because they dislike the heat and shut down by July, but by fall there is a fresh crop of seedlings that will overwinter and start blooming as soon as it gets even a bit warm. I’ve had them bloom during warm spells in January and February.

Those are so pretty @Markay MD-Zone 7B...actually gorgeous.

Given that they are in bloom from April implies the plants overwintered (rather than from self seeding)?

Those are gorgeous, Markay!

I've liked them when I've grown them, but they peter out for me, too -- definitely cool-season plants. Would make a very nice alternative to mums for fall displays.

@rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) they self seeded and overwinter. When they self seed, the seeds sprout in the fall as temps cool off and overwinter. They are very hardy and actively grow and occasionally bloom throughout the winter. When they fry out with summer temps, I yank them out and replace them with zinnias.

I always fall in love with photos on the seed packet of Calendula. They are pretty easy to grow if they get enough sun. I just always feel like they are a little messy for some reason. The foliage? I haven't grown them in awhile but that's my memory of my experience with them.