Dandelions?

[Nerien]

There are quite a few different flowers called "Marigolds". Completely different. Some are known to be good for food, others not so much.

Fighting allergies so bad you'd think I had bronchitis or pneumonia right now, so I'll leave it up to you to sort out which species are okay and which you might not want to use. I think the anti-bug marigolds are the not so good ones. The ones put into herb mixes are actually Pot Marigolds, which are completely different. But I could be wrong about the others (Tagetes sp, I think?), I wouldn't trust anything I'm remembering right now, was up all night coughing to wake the neighbors (and we live in the country, not an apartment).

[nelloyello11]

There are quite a few different flowers called "Marigolds". Completely different. Some are known to be good for food, others not so much.

Fighting allergies so bad you'd think I had bronchitis or pneumonia right now, so I'll leave it up to you to sort out which species are okay and which you might not want to use. I think the anti-bug marigolds are the not so good ones. The ones put into herb mixes are actually Pot Marigolds, which are completely different. But I could be wrong about the others (Tagetes sp, I think?), I wouldn't trust anything I'm remembering right now, was up all night coughing to wake the neighbors (and we live in the country, not an apartment).

I looked around online (after going to buy seeds and not being sure what I should get), and found these two links:
http://www.cockatielcottage.net/houseplants.html
http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-housing ... lants.aspx

The first lists calendula (several species of which are sold as marigold seeds) and mariogold as being safe. The second lists calendula officinalis (pot marigold), as well as marigolds (tagetes spp) as being safe. So I'm not sure if all calendula species are safe or not, but it looks like all tagetes species are okay.

[debbie276]

Looks like both can be eaten to me

http://buckhawk.squidoo.com/edible-marigold
Tagetes includes African Marigolds and French Marigolds. Celandula includes Pot Marigolds.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFl ... rsMain.htm
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) - Also called Marigolds. A wonderful edible flower. Flavors range from spicy to bitter, tangy to peppery. Their sharp taste resembles saffron (also known as Poor Man’s Saffron). Has pretty petals in golden-orange hues. Sprinkle them on soups, pasta or rice dishes, herb butters, and salads. Petals add a yellow tint to soups, spreads, and scrambled eggs. Only the pedals are edible.

Marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia - aka T. signata) - The marigold can be used as a substitute for saffron. Also great in salads as they have a citrus flavor.

[Nerien]

Here's something else I found, so it looks like all the Calendula species are edible, and there is some question about some of the Tagetes species. Results seem to depend on who/what you read, but no one seems to be saying any of the Calendula are bad, only potentially some of the Tagetes.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load ... 31011.html

"The short answer is that NOT all marigolds are edible. I don't know all the species, but as a very broad rule of thumb, opt for Calendula officinalis as the one considered the edible and medicinal ('official') marigold. It's also called Holigold, Pot Marigold, Bride of the Sun, Summer's Bride, Sun's Gold, Ruddes, Ruddles, Marygold, Marybud.

The French Marigold, Tagetes patula, is not edible. It is used in companion planting for insect and nematode control.

Of the Gem Marigolds, only Tagetes tenuifolia is edible, although some claim that T. signata and T. pumila are also edible. Since there seems to be some disagreement about this, I'd suggest caution. I've seen quite a few reference where T. signata is 'harmful if eaten in large quantities'. I've seen one or two references to the African Marigold (T. erecta) being edible.

Mexican Marigold Mint, also known by many other names including Winter Tarragon, Root Beer plant, Yerba anis or Cloud Plant (Tagetes lucida)is edible.

Some people claim that all marigolds are edible, but that some of them taste VILE! I daresay you should be guided by your nose and taste-buds with marigolds. If it smells and tastes like an insect repellent, then that is probably the best use for it! "

[debbie276]

Tagetes patula

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?Lat ... tes+patula
Edible Uses: Colouring; Condiment; Drink.

Guess it depends on where you look

[Nerien]

It does, indeed. Below the food uses, which you've shown, it lists medicinal uses, with much more detail. Those are usually the kind of things that may make a plant unusable or inadvisable for birds and other pets, it may do something that is not so good for them. We're about, oh, a gazillion times bigger than a finch, so a little bit of something, for example diuretic, may not bother us, but be significant for a finch.

This same entry, lower down, says "Requires a well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position. Grows well in heavy clay soils and in sandy soils." with citations for both sentences. But those sentences are contradictory. If it REQUIRES a good soil, it should not be capable of growing in heavy clay, which is a terrible soil.

Good job of gathering and referencing information, bad job of intelligently putting it together and presenting it in a thoughtful, coherent manner.

With my degus, which are much more popular, studied, and understood, in Europe, where there is experiential data on degus and similar creatures themselves, they fully support Calendula as food, and caution against Tagetes. But then degus are not finches.

I have noticed that the wild birds and critters do NOT eat my Tagetes marigolds. Nor do they eat the seeds from the dead flowers, fresh or long dried on the dead plants come winter.

I would just say, be cautious, check the data, then if you try something new on your birds, start small, keep watch, and let the rest of us know how it goes. Real life experience beats reference material every time.

[cottagecatt]

my aunt used to grow marigolds and zinnias for her birds, and she used to eat pansies and rose petal syrup was the best...

[debbie276]

"The flowers are used in refreshing drinks. The leaves are used as a food flavouring."

I have not had a marigold of any kind not grow in any type of soil

[Nerien]

I have not had a marigold of any kind not grow in any type of soil

Yeah, marigolds are one of those fairly indestructible flowers. Grow anywhere, tolerate anything, always look good, not much will eat them (even "deer resistant" plants don't survive in my yard. the deer, gophers, rabbits, etc eat EVERYTHING. even my landscaper friends are shocked at what my deer eat. But they don't touch the marigolds.)

Except for slugs. The slugs will strip my marigolds down to the bare main stem overnight. I hate slugs.

[nelloyello11]

I have not had a marigold of any kind not grow in any type of soil

I think this is the very reason they are grown from seeds in nearly every 1st grade classroom. They're pretty tough to screw up!

[lovezebs]

I've given them the leaves but wasnt sure about the rest of the plant. Are the flowers, milky stems and seed heads ok to feed as well?

[lovezebs]

I've given them the leaves but wasnt sure about the rest of the plant. Are the flowers, milky stems and seed heads ok to feed as well?

[Bermyguy]

They love the whole plant! Mine go crazy for it, doesn't last at all when I give it to them.