Signet marigold

Sun

Full sun; flowering is reduced in shade.

Water

Water moderately while establishing, then when the top layer of soil dries. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells, but containers need more frequent watering.

Soil

Well-drained soil of average fertility; avoid waterlogged ground and heavy feeding.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Early summer to the first autumn frost; small, single yellow, orange or rusty-red flowers, sometimes with contrasting markings.

Foliage

Fine, fern-like green leaves with narrow, toothed leaflets and a citrus-like scent when rubbed.

Growth

Fast; flowers in its first growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

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

   1.2 ft (0.38 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, spacing plants about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart.
• Water at soil level when the surface begins to dry; do not leave pots standing in water.
• Use little or no fertiliser in garden soil; feed containers lightly if growth or flowering slows.
• Keep mulch away from the stems to reduce rot.
• Remove weeds while plants are young; their spreading growth shades the soil later.

Pruning. Pinch out young shoot tips if plants are becoming leggy. Remove faded flowers regularly, or lightly trim straggly growth in midsummer to encourage fresh branching and flowers.

For culinary use, pick freshly opened flowers once any dew has dried, choosing clean, undamaged blooms. Pull off the petals and discard the tougher green base; use only flowers from plants grown without pesticides unsuitable for edible crops.

Early spring

Sow indoors about four to six weeks before your expected last frost; keep seedlings warm and in bright light.

Late spring

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

Early summer

Water new plants during dry spells and pinch out leggy shoot tips.

Summer

Pick edible flowers, remove faded blooms and check container moisture regularly.

Late summer

Leave a few healthy flower heads to dry if you want to collect seed.

Autumn

Remove plants once frost kills them; compost healthy material.

• Edge sunny paths with low mounds of fine foliage and bright flowers.
• Plant around vegetable beds for colour and flowers that attract visiting insects.
• Combine with blue salvia or purple verbena for a warm-and-cool colour contrast.
• Use in sunny pots and window boxes, where the rounded growth softens container edges.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Pollinator garden, Sensory garden, Edible landscape and Small-space.

Plant it with: Blue salvia, Verbena, Zinnias, Sweet alyssum, Basil and Tomatoes.

Wildlife: The open flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees, hoverflies and other small insects. They do not reliably repel garden pests or protect neighbouring vegetables.

• Slugs and snails can destroy seedlings: inspect after dark, remove pests and protect young plants with suitable barriers or locally approved baits.
• Spider mites can cause pale, stippled foliage in hot, dry conditions: rinse leaf undersides and prevent severe drought stress.
• Root and stem rot develop in wet soil: improve drainage, avoid standing water and remove collapsing plants.
• Lush foliage with few flowers usually means too much shade or nitrogen: move future plantings into full sun and reduce feeding.

The flowers are edible for people. Sap and foliage may irritate sensitive skin. Marigolds can cause mild mouth, stomach or skin irritation in cats and dogs, so discourage chewing. Signet marigold is not known to be toxic to horses, although species-specific safety information is limited.

• French marigold (Tagetes patula)

  Usually has larger flower heads, often double, and broader leaflets; signet marigold has finer foliage and numerous small, single flowers.

• Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)

  Has broad, simple leaves rather than finely divided foliage, and larger daisy-like flower heads.

• Mexican marigold (Tagetes minuta)

  Grows much taller and bears clusters of tiny, inconspicuous yellowish flowers rather than showy, open flowers on low mounds.

The species name tenuifolia means narrow-leaved, referring to its slender leaflets.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown indoors before the last frost or directly outdoors once the soil warms. Cover seed lightly and keep evenly moist until germination. Saved seed from named selections may not produce plants identical to the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Tagetes tenuifolia

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast and Mexico Southwest.

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