Marigold

Sun

Full sun; allow at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.

Water

Water when the soil surface begins to dry, soaking the root zone rather than sprinkling the leaves. Containers may need daily watering in hot weather.

Soil

Well-drained soil with moderate fertility; tolerates sandy or clay-based soil if it does not stay waterlogged.

Height

1-4 ft (0.3-1.2 m), depending on variety

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Summer to the first frost; yellow, gold, orange or creamy white, usually with large double flower heads.

Foliage

Green, pinnately divided leaves with narrow, toothed leaflets and a strong scent when handled.

Growth

Fast; flowers in its first growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Plant outside after frost risk has passed and the soil has warmed; these zones indicate frost tolerance, not a perennial lifespan.
• Space plants according to their mature spread so air can move between them.
• Water at soil level and let the surface dry slightly between soakings.
• Use a balanced liquid feed for container plants according to the label; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages leaves rather than flowers.
• Stake tall varieties early in exposed gardens, before heavy flower heads develop.
• Apply a light mulch after the soil warms, keeping it clear of the stems.

Pruning. Pinch out the growing tip of young plants if you want bushier growth, although this can delay flowering. Throughout summer, remove faded flower heads by cutting back to a healthy leaf or side shoot.

Early spring

Sow indoors about four to six weeks before your expected last frost, using seed compost and gentle warmth.

Late spring

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

Early summer

Install supports for tall varieties and begin checking container moisture regularly.

Summer

Deadhead regularly, water during dry spells and check buds and young shoots for pests.

Early autumn

Leave a few healthy flower heads to dry if you want seed; seed from hybrids may not resemble the parent.

Late autumn

Remove plants after frost or when flowering finishes; compost healthy material and discard diseased plants.

• Plant compact varieties along sunny path edges for a repeated band of warm colour.
• Use tall varieties in the middle of summer borders with salvias and zinnias for contrasting flower shapes.
• Grow compact varieties in sunny patio containers with blue-flowered annuals.
• Repeat blocks through vegetable gardens or formal bedding schemes to mark edges and provide cut flowers.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Formal, Hot border, Mexican hacienda and Traditional.

Plant it with: Zinnias, Blue salvias, Cosmos, Globe amaranth, Basil and Ornamental peppers.

Wildlife: Bees and other flower-visiting insects can use accessible flower centres, but densely double varieties offer less accessible pollen and nectar than open-flowered forms. It is not a reliable general-purpose pest repellent.

• Slugs and snails can destroy seedlings: inspect at dusk, remove hiding places and use an approved iron-based bait if needed.
• Spider mites cause stippled, bronzed leaves in hot, dry conditions: keep plants adequately watered and rinse leaf undersides; use a labelled treatment if infestations persist.
• Grey mould can rot crowded flowers in damp weather: remove affected heads, improve spacing and avoid wetting flowers when watering.
• Root and stem rots develop in waterlogged soil: improve drainage, avoid overwatering and remove collapsing plants.

Not generally considered poisonous to cats, dogs, horses or people. Chewing leaves, stems or flowers may nevertheless cause mild mouth irritation or stomach upset, and sap or foliage can irritate sensitive skin. Serious poisoning is not expected from small accidental exposures; do not encourage pets to eat it.

• French marigold (Tagetes patula)

  Usually shorter and more spreading, with smaller flowers that often combine yellow or orange with reddish-brown markings; compact African marigolds can overlap in size.

• Signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia)

  Has much finer, fernlike foliage and many small, usually single flowers rather than large rounded flower heads.

• Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)

  Has broad, simple, slightly hairy leaves rather than divided leaves, and usually more obviously daisy-shaped flowers.

The epithet erecta means upright, referring to its growth habit, while marigold comes from 'Mary's gold', a name also applied to other golden-flowered plants.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown indoors before the last frost or directly outdoors once the soil is warm. Cover lightly and keep evenly moist; germination usually takes about 5-14 days in warm conditions. Saved seed from hybrid varieties may produce variable plants.

Accepted botanical name

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.