French marigold

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade is useful in very hot climates, but heavy shade reduces flowering.

Water

Moderate; water when the soil surface begins to dry. Established plants tolerate short dry spells, but containers need more frequent watering.

Soil

Well-drained soil of average fertility; tolerates sandy or clay-based soil provided it does not stay waterlogged.

Height

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m)

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Flowers

Early summer to autumn frost; yellow, orange, mahogany-red and bicoloured flowers, with single, semi-double or double forms.

Foliage

Finely divided, toothed green leaves with a strong scent when brushed or crushed.

Growth

Fast; flowers within one growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• 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 ft (0.3 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

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant outside after the last frost, once the soil has warmed; space plants 0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m) apart.
• Water at soil level, then let the surface begin to dry before watering again.
• Avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages leaves at the expense of flowers.
• Feed container plants lightly with a balanced liquid fertiliser according to the label.
• Keep mulch away from stems and avoid thick, damp mulch around young plants where slugs are troublesome.

Pruning. Remove faded flowers by cutting or pinching back to the next leaf or side shoot throughout summer. If plants become straggly, trim lightly above leafy growth to encourage branching.

Early spring

Sow indoors 4-6 weeks before your local last frost, using a warm, bright position.

Late spring

Harden off seedlings and plant out after frost risk has passed, or sow directly into warm soil.

Early summer

Check young plants for slug damage and water during establishment.

Summer

Remove spent flowers regularly and check container soil for dryness.

Early autumn

Let a few healthy flower heads dry on the plant if you want to collect seed.

Late autumn

Remove plants after frost kills them; compost healthy material and discard diseased plants.

• Edge sunny paths and flower beds with compact plants for a continuous band of warm colour.
• Plant in repeated blocks in a vegetable garden to give beds a clear outline and provide flowers for visiting insects.
• Combine with blue salvia or purple petunias in containers for strong colour contrast.
• Use as seasonal edging in formal beds or parterres where an even height and repeated colour are useful.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), French parterre, Hot border, Traditional and Small-space.

Plant it with: Salvia, Petunia, Zinnia, Basil, Tomato and Sweet alyssum.

Wildlife: Single and semi-double flowers provide accessible pollen and nectar for bees, hoverflies and butterflies. Densely double flowers are generally less useful to insects.

• Slugs and snails can strip seedlings: inspect after dark, remove hiding places and use iron-phosphate bait according to the label if needed.
• Spider mites cause pale, stippled leaves in hot, dry weather: rinse leaf undersides regularly and use an insecticidal soap labelled for the pest if infestation persists.
• Root and stem rots develop in wet soil: improve drainage, avoid overwatering and remove collapsing plants.
• Poor flowering often follows shade or excessive nitrogen: move containers into stronger light and stop high-nitrogen feeding.

Not generally considered seriously poisonous to people, cats or dogs, but eating leaves or flowers may cause mild stomach upset, and contact with the sap can irritate skin. It is not known to be toxic to horses, although specific safety information is limited. Do not treat ornamental plants as food, especially if they have been sprayed.

• African marigold (Tagetes erecta)

  Usually taller and more upright, with larger, often rounded flower heads; French marigolds are generally shorter, more spreading and more often have red or bicoloured flowers.

• Signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia)

  Has much finer, threadlike foliage and many small, simple flowers, usually with five rays, rather than the larger flower heads typical of French marigolds.

• Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)

  Has broad, undivided, slightly hairy leaves and daisy-like flowers; French marigold has deeply divided leaves with a strong, distinctive scent.

The botanical epithet patula means spreading, referring to its branching habit; despite its common name, French marigold is native to Mexico and Central America.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown indoors before the last frost or directly outside after frost into warm soil. Save seed from fully dry flower heads; seedlings from hybrids may differ from their parents.

Accepted botanical name

Tagetes erecta Tagetes patula is an older name for Tagetes erecta.

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Guatemala, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast and Mexico Southwest.

Measured

Average height 55 cm.

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