Tagetes patula
Common name: French marigold
Tagetes patula is a compact, bushy annual in the aster family, native to Mexico and Guatemala despite the name "French marigold." It bears single or double flowers, often bicolored in combinations of yellow, orange, red, and mahogany, above deeply divided, aromatic leaves. It is one of the most popular bedding plants worldwide, valued for its long flowering season, easy culture from seed, and use as edging and companion planting in vegetable gardens.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun for best flowering
Water
Moderate; allow soil to dry slightly between waterings
Soil
Well-drained, average to poor; overly rich soil reduces blooms
Hardiness
Zones 2–11 (grown as an annual)
Mature height
About 15–50 cm (0.5–1.6 ft)
Pet safe
Mildly toxic if ingested; sap may irritate skin
Difficulty
Easy
Propagation
Grown from seed: sow directly in the garden after frost or start indoors 4-6 weeks early; seeds germinate in about a week. Cuttings taken from soft growth also root easily.
Fun facts
- It is called "French" marigold because it became popular in French gardens after seeds were brought from Mexico to Europe, though it has no French origin.
- French marigolds are among the most researched companion plants, shown to reduce root-knot nematode populations when grown as a cover crop.
- Deadheading spent blooms keeps the plant flowering continuously from early summer until frost.
- The flowers are edible and sometimes used as a saffron substitute or garnish, earning marigolds the nickname "poor man's saffron."