Corn marigold

Sun

Full sun.

Water

Water regularly during germination and establishment; established plants tolerate short dry spells but flower better with occasional watering in prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained, moderately fertile soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Avoid waterlogged ground and heavily enriched soil.

Height

1-2.5 ft (0.3-0.75 m)

Spread

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m)

Flowers

Golden-yellow daisies with yellow centres, from late spring or early summer into autumn, depending on sowing time and climate.

Foliage

Blue-green, slightly fleshy leaves with irregular teeth or shallow lobes; upper leaves clasp the stems.

Growth

Fast; flowers in its first growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Invasive in

Australia

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Sow directly into weed-free, lightly raked soil and cover the seed lightly.
• Keep the seedbed moist until seedlings are established, then water during extended dry weather.
• Thin seedlings to about 8-12 in (20-30 cm) apart for sturdy, branching plants.
• Avoid routine feeding and rich manure, which encourage leafy growth and flopping.
• Keep heavy mulch away from areas where you want seedlings to emerge.

Pruning. Remove faded flowers through summer to prolong flowering, leaving a few heads only if you want seed. Pull up plants after they finish flowering, before seed ripens where spreading is unwanted.

Early spring

Prepare an open, weed-free seedbed; avoid adding rich compost or fertiliser.

Spring

Direct-sow when the soil is workable, then keep the surface moist during germination.

Late spring

Thin crowded seedlings and remove competing weeds.

Summer

Deadhead regularly and water during prolonged drought.

Early autumn

Collect ripe seed from dry, brown flower heads, or remove plants before they shed seed.

Autumn

In mild-winter areas, sow a small batch outdoors for earlier flowering the following year; use spring sowing where winters are severe.

• Sow in annual wildflower patches with cornflowers and field poppies for a traditional arable-field display.
• Use in loose drifts near the front or middle of sunny cottage borders.
• Fill temporary gaps between young shrubs or perennials while their canopies remain open.
• Combine with airy annuals and fine grasses for a light, informal summer planting.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Wildflower, English country, Pollinator garden, Farmhouse and Modern rustic.

Plant it with: Cornflower, Field poppy, Corn chamomile, Love-in-a-mist, California poppy and Quaking grass.

Wildlife: The open flower heads provide pollen and nectar for bees, hoverflies and other visiting insects. It is an introduced species in many regions, so include locally native flowers as well.

• Slugs and snails can destroy seedlings; inspect at dusk and use barriers or locally approved controls where needed.
• Aphids may gather on young shoots; wash off small colonies and encourage natural predators.
• Rich soil, shade or crowding can cause tall, floppy growth; grow in full sun, thin seedlings and avoid extra feeding.
• Seedlings struggle in dense grass or heavy mulch; provide patches of bare soil rather than sowing into an established lawn.

Reliable species-specific toxicity information is limited for people, cats, dogs and horses; it should not be assumed safe to eat or graze. Keep foliage, flowers and seed out of animal feed. Contact may irritate the skin of people sensitive to plants in the daisy family.

Where it spreads. Can self-seed freely on disturbed ground and become an agricultural weed. It is an introduced weed in parts of southern and western Australia; check local weed guidance before sowing, especially near farmland or natural areas.

• Crown daisy (Glebionis coronaria)

  Usually taller, with deeply divided leaves; flowers may be entirely yellow or have white outer rays. Corn marigold has broader, toothed or shallowly lobed leaves.

• Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)

  Has softly hairy, often sticky green leaves and large, curved seeds. Corn marigold has smooth blue-green foliage and smaller, straighter seed-like fruits.

• Golden marguerite (Cota tinctoria)

  Has finely divided, feathery foliage and is usually a short-lived perennial, rather than an annual with broad, shallowly lobed leaves.

The epithet segetum means 'of cornfields', matching the common name's reference to its traditional habitat among cereal crops.

Propagation. Grow from seed, preferably sown directly where it is to flower in spring. Autumn sowing is suitable in mild-winter climates. It may self-seed where bare soil remains available, but is usually crowded out by dense perennial vegetation.

Accepted botanical name

Glebionis segetum

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Alaska, Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Algeria, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.

Measured

Soil pH 5 to 5.5. Average height 39 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.