There are so many types of marigolds available to the home gardener, it may be hard to know where to start! People plant marigolds for many reasons. Not only are they perfect in the summer garden, but they are used all over the world for ceremonial and medicinal purposes. In Mexico, they are important for Dia de los Muertos floral arrangements. More than just beautiful flowers, marigolds are used in culinary arts. They have been valued for centuries as medicinal plants among indigenous peoples of Central America.
You may wonder, which variety of marigold is best? What are the two types of marigolds? What kind of marigolds are good for gardening? We are not talking about the pot marigold, or what is known botanically as Calendula officinalis. Instead, the focus is solely on marigolds in the Tagetes genus.
Main Types of Marigolds
Marigolds are available in three varieties: African, French and Signet. There are French marigolds and African marigolds, but there are also two other main types: signet and hybrid marigolds. Several species of marigolds are used as ornamental annuals and are very popular all around the world due to their ease of growing. Blossoms can be orange, yellow, red, gold, copper, brass, white, or any combination of those colors.
African Marigold
If you want a bold pop of color in the garden with a twist of drama, the African marigold is the perfect choice. Reaching 3 feet in height with gorgeous flowers, the African marigold is a bold sun-garden flower. If you are limited in space, a dwarf variety is available that stays under 1 foot tall.
Also known as the Aztec marigold and sometimes called American marigolds, African types come from Mexico, in the states Michoacán, Veracruz, and Puebla. They are deemed ‘African’ because they first arrived in southern Europe from North African sources. Characteristics of these marigold flowers include their tendency for inflorescences to sit in a solitary fashion on slender stalks. Their colors range from yellow to red, and they are known to have been used by Pre-Hispanic peoples in various rituals.
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African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are the biggest of the marigolds and can reach heights of 3 to 4 feet. African marigolds, also known as American or Aztec marigolds, are renowned for their substantial, showy blooms that can brighten any garden space. These robust plants can grow to heights ranging from 18 to 36 inches, making them standout additions to garden beds and borders due to their impressive size and vibrant colors. Their blooms are not only visually striking but also have a subtle, pleasant fragrance that adds another layer of appeal.
Known for their durability in the face of hot weather, African marigolds are an excellent choice for gardeners in warmer climates looking for long-lasting summer color.
Blooms: Yellow, orange or cream
Native to: Mexico and Central America
Common varieties: ‘Jubilee’ series, ‘Gold Coin’ series, ‘Safari’ series, ‘Galore’ F-1 hybrids, ‘Inca’ F-1 hybrids, ‘Sumo’ F-1 hybrids and ‘French Vanilla’
French Marigold
What is the difference between marigolds and French marigolds? Because French types are marigold flowers, there’s little difference at all. All of the marigolds in the Tagetes patula species are included in this type. These flowers hail from Mexico and Guatemala, seemingly disregarding their name. However, it’s through the French colonial botanists that these marigolds have so many cultivars.
French marigolds form mounds of color in the garden. The flowers are often frilly and come in a wider color range than the African marigold. The flowers are single, semi-double, double or crested flowers, 1-2 inches across and can be solid or bi-colored.
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French marigolds (Tagetes patula) have a busy and compact growing habit and are usually between 6 and 12 inches tall making them an intermediate size compared to the other types. French marigolds are delightful, compact plants that typically grow between 6 and 18 inches tall, making them ideal for container gardens, front-of-border placements, and decorative edging. Unlike their taller African cousins, French marigolds bloom with smaller flowers, though they are no less vivid and come in a variety of striking bi-colors, such as combinations of deep reds and golds.
French marigolds are particularly noted for their ability to deter common garden pests like nematodes and aphids, making them valuable companion plants in vegetable gardens. French ones typically bloom slightly longer than other marigolds.
Blooms: Orange, yellow or red
Habit: Is often wider than it is tall
Native to: North America and Mexico
Common varieties include: ‘Little Hero’, ‘Hero’, ‘Bonanza’, ‘Aurora’, ‘Janie’ series, ‘Discovery’ F-1 hybrids, ‘Boy O’ Boy’ series and ‘Queen’ series
Signet Marigold
An often-overlooked marigold, the Signet marigold is far more reserved than the African and French marigold. Half-inch blooms are perched atop lacey foliage.
The signet marigold is the common name for marigolds in the Tagetes tenuifolia species. Its origins also lie in Mexico, across the entire country. Today you’ll find naturalized signet marigold plants in Columbia, Peru, and parts of Central America. Common uses of signets involve their placement as companions in garden beds and in pest deterrence in general.
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Signet marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia) are the smallest, usually 6 inches tall or less, and have more of a mounding than upright habit. Signet marigolds, also known as gem marigolds, are distinguished by their unique, finely divided, lacy foliage and the abundance of small, dainty flowers they produce. These attributes offer a textured visual appeal distinct from the larger marigold varieties. Typically reaching up to 12 inches in height, they are ideal for introducing vibrant color to walkways or for enhancing mixed container gardens.
Their compact size and prolific blooming nature make them excellent choices for edging garden beds or incorporating into window boxes, where their delicate appearance can be fully appreciated. The flowers of Signet marigolds bloom in vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds, and are distinguished by their single-layer petals and lemony scent, which can be a delightful addition to salads and garnishes due to their edible nature.
Blooms: Yellow, orange, golden or bi-colored flowers
Native to: North America
Hybrid types include the Gem series: ‘Tangerine Gem’, ‘Lemon Gem’, ‘Orange Gem’ and ‘Red Gem’
Hybrid Marigolds
A cross between the French marigold and African marigold, these hybrids are some of the most interesting types of marigolds out there. They work well in gardens that are subject to high summer heat. They also don’t set seed after their flowers fade, hence why they are called mule marigolds.
Triploid marigolds represent a groundbreaking hybridization between French and African marigolds, combining the best traits of both parents. These marigolds produce the large, vibrant blooms characteristic of African marigolds and the resilience and compact growth habit of French marigolds. One of the significant advantages of triploid marigolds is their sterility, which means they do not produce viable seeds and instead dedicate all their energy to producing an abundance of blossoms. This results in a longer blooming period, typically starting earlier in the season and extending until frost.
Mule marigolds, a hybrid created from crossing African and French marigolds, exhibit vigorous growth and produce large, double flowers that closely resemble those of African marigolds. These robust plants can adapt to various growing conditions, making them highly favored by gardeners who require resilient flowering species. These hybrids merge the best characteristics of their parent plants, boasting the stature and impressive floral dimensions of African marigolds along with the bushier and denser foliage of French marigolds. This makes them particularly useful for creating dramatic visual impacts in garden beds and borders. Mule marigolds also tend to have a longer blooming period and are less susceptible to common marigold pests, providing a lush and colorful display from early summer well into the fall.
Specific Marigold Varieties
Now that we’ve covered the major types of marigolds, let’s discuss specific marigold varieties.
- The Crackerjack Mix Marigold seed packets we sell in our shop include a combination of yellow flowers and orange ones with double-petal arrangements. These plants produce large flowers on vegetation that reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide at full maturity.
- With uncommonly cream-colored double flowers, Kilimanjaro marigolds are a cultivar that took 21 years to develop! The 2 ½ inch blooms are great for planting in flower beds and in cut flower arrangements. Their cultivation resulted in a sweeter aroma than other marigolds and a slightly bitter peppery flavor. This Botanical Interests variety was named by one of the company’s founders, Judy Seaborn. As it produces bright yellow flowers that remind her of times spent at the local nursery with her mother Phyllis, Judy named the variety after her.
- This African marigold has striking thin, clustered petals that give it a chrysanthemum look.
- If you want to try planting marigolds but you don’t know which to choose, there’s a great blend of multiple French marigold plants out there for you. This blend’s single-flower plants have blooms ranging from gold to yellow, red, and bicolor red.
- If you want a solid stand of the French marigold in your garden, and yellow is your preferred color, Lemon Drop will not disappoint. Even smaller than the blend we just discussed at 6 to 12 inches tall, the double yellow blooms of these compact plants practically dominate their dark green foliage.
- These interesting garden marigolds have blooms that resemble tickseed, with dark maroon centers and yellow edges. The flower is said to resemble Jeanette Anna MacDonald, the star of the 1935 musical romance Naughty Marietta. The bushy plants of this cultivar bloom 2-inch flowers in summer that last until the first frost.
- This French marigold variety has stark maroon blooms that sit atop sturdy stems. In warmer weather, the petals take on splashes of yellow, and when the weather cools the splashes metamorph and disappear!
- Maybe you’d like to fill your garden with the small single flowers of a signet variety, but you don’t know what to choose. This Gem Blend is perfect for you! Its flowers bloom in shades of red, yellow, and orange. One seed produces a bushy plant that is relatively short in stature, at about 12 inches tall.
- Similar to the last signet blend we touched on, Lemon and Tangerine gems provide two splashes of color in bright yellow and copper-orange. This particular pairing of gem plants loves full sun and dry soil in a rock garden.
- Safari Scarlet blooms are great as cut flowers with golden-edged double blooms with red centers. Topping out at 10 inches tall, this dwarf variety is commonly used in edging, bedding, and even in containers around the garden.
- If you want golden seas of pom pom blooms, Inca Yellow is your marigold! These grow to 16 inches at full maturity and produce delicate fern-like foliage. Even though they are signets, which are typically smaller, the double blooms of this variety grow up to 4 inches across.
- Another bright gold variety, Mary Helen marigolds reach up to 3 feet tall and 1 foot wide. With a similar bloom to Inca Yellow, these pom pom flowers sit atop thick, leathery foliage.
- If you like the idea of Inca Yellow or Mary Helen, but you need a dwarf variety, Discovery yellow is a great choice. At up to 10 inches tall with yellow pom blooms, Discovery is a great container plant, and even a companion plant that borders your vegetable garden.
- The orange version of this marigold is just like Discovery Yellow. Basically, every feature of this plant is the same: small stature (up to 10 inches), 2 ½ inch blooms, and pom pom-shaped double flowers.
- This is one of those marigold types with more subtle hues than most. Called Sweet Cream due to the blooms’ light yellow, off-white shade, these plants grow anywhere from 14 to 18 inches tall. The large blooms open 3 inches wide but have no scent due to the intensive cultivation process needed to engineer them.
- Now that we’ve touched on more subtle colors let’s get back to pops of intensity that emit from the small blooms of Mr. Majestic. These plants dot the garden with variations of maroon and yellow flowers that have a pronounced stamen in their center. They are especially suited for blocking out those root-knot nematodes.
- Another light yellow to light green variety of the African marigold, Nosento Lime Green is one of those types of marigolds that brings subtle hues to the garden. While the 3-inch blooms may not produce much scent, you will still have access to lemon-scented foliage that grows up to 3 feet tall.
- Now that we’ve covered several yellow and orange varieties let’s discuss one of the most vibrant French marigold varieties out there - Red Cherry! Not only do you get the benefit of dwarf plants that grow no more than 10 inches tall, but you also get lovely red double blooms with pronounced yellow centers. Give these vibrant flowers full sun and somewhat dry soil and this long-blooming marigold variety will put on a show from summer to the first frost.
- If you want shades of pink, Strawberry Blonde is an excellent marigold for you. This dwarf marigold reaches 8 to 10 inches tall and has lovely blooms that change color with the seasons. Cooler weather encourages rich violet pinks, while warmer weather ushers in yellow hues.
- Similar to Inca Signets, this large-flowered plant grows to a slightly smaller stature at 12 inches. The plant produces fewer blooms than Inca signet varieties but are much larger and open to 4 inches wide.
- If interesting blooms are your go-to, Tiger Eyes is perfect. With fully double flowers with a chrysanthemum-like orange top on a more sparsely-petaled maroon base, these will surely bring a dash of uniqueness to the cultivation space. This heirloom reaches 12 inches tall and spreads just as wide.
- Another super dwarf member of the Tagetes patula species, Little Hero doesn’t get taller than 8 inches. The light yellow blooms pop in garden spaces amidst sparser-than-normal foliage, offering a sea of gold.
- This American marigold doesn’t actually come from one of the four species we discussed in the types section but is actually part of the Tagetes filifolia species. Composed of mostly needly, fern-like foliage, the flowers are incredibly small white specks that stipple their green masses.
- Want huge poms of orange majesty? Jedi has you covered. These giants grow to about 4 feet at full maturity, producing blooms that can open to 6 inches each! Contrary to the semi-unpleasant scent that African types can put off, these have a rich, citrusy smell.
- If you want a smaller plant and can’t decide between shades of orange, red, and everything in between, you should try to grow Fireball marigolds. Despite the small stature of the plant, which grows to 12 inches at most, the flowers are 2 ½ inches wide.
- While not as stunning as Lemon Gem, Vanilla contributes another subtle hint of yellow to the area it’s planted in. The buttery-yellow ball-shaped flowers grow on upright foliage that rises to 12 inches.
Mexican Marigold
Also known as Mexican mint marigold, this marigold has a striking spicy tarragon flavor that has been compared to anise in its leaves. Instead of hailing from one of the aforementioned species, Tagetes lucida is the botanical name for the Mexican marigold. I personally love to head to any nearby Mexican tarragon plant and snag a leaf to taste its rich flavor.Mexican tarragon is a perennial herb characterized by its slender, upright stems and bright yellow daisy-like flowers. The plant produces finely toothed, linear, deep green aromatic leaves with a licorice or anise-like fragrance, often used as a culinary substitute for tarragon.
Culinary Uses: The leaves are commonly used as a culinary herb, especially as a substitute for French tarragon in recipes. Their anise-like flavor makes them a great addition to sauces, soups, and teas.
Medicinal Uses: Tagetes lucida has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. It is believed to have digestive and antispasmodic properties, and it is often brewed into herbal teas to relieve stomach aches and digestive discomfort. Additionally, it has been used to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and insomnia due to its calming effects.
Ornamental Uses: The plant’s bright flowers make it a beautiful addition to ornamental gardens.
Pest Control: Like other marigolds, Tagetes lucida is known for repelling harmful insects, such as aphids and whiteflies, due to the aromatic compounds released by its leaves.
Southern Cone
Southern Cone hails from the species Tagetes minuta. Another one of those marigolds that has dense foliage and sparse, white flowers, the plant originated in southern parts of South America but is now naturalized all over the world. Even though it has tiny flowers, the plant branches up to 2 meters tall. Cultivate it as a prized herb in your cottage garden, and use its leaves to flavor foods and teas.
Additional Marigold Varieties
- This is a triploid hybrid variety for those who can’t decide what color they want. The carnation-shaped flowers come in pops of orange and yellow. With a standard height of 14 inches, you’ll feel like you’re growing a somewhat traditional marigold.
- Specifically bred for their ability to control root-knot nematodes, Nema Control is also lovely above ground too! These small, yellow, pincushion-like flowers are best planted as a cover crop a season or two before planting your solanaceous crops that are prone to nematode infestations.
- This variety is highly similar in stature and color to Nema Control. They both grow up to 2 feet tall with small, 2-inch blooms. This particular variety has shown a 99% success rate of controlling nematodes over a 3-month span.
Marigolds in Day of the Dead Celebrations
Yes, marigolds (Tagetes) are an important flower during Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations in Mexico. These bright orange and yellow marigold flowers actively guide the spirits of deceased loved ones back to the land of the living.
Marigolds carry various symbolic meanings across different cultures: In Mexican culture, marigolds actively represent death and the afterlife, symbolizing the honoring of the dead and spiritual connection during Día de los Muertos.
Why Marigolds Are Special
Marigolds are special because of their vibrant blooms, ease of cultivation, and versatility in both ornamental and functional gardening. Their cultural significance, especially in Mexican and Hindu cultures, adds to their uniqueness.
Marigolds as Mosquito Repellents
Yes, marigolds are known for their ability to repel mosquitoes due to the compounds they release, particularly pyrethrum. Pyrethrum is a natural insect repellent that is found in many commercial bug sprays.
General Marigold Care
All marigold types should be grown in garden beds, but Signet marigolds can be grown in containers. Marigolds can be direct seeded in the garden once soil temperatures reach 65 degrees. Marigolds can tolerate drought conditions better than they can tolerate being overly wet so make sure the soil is well-draining. A general-purpose fertilizer with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be incorporated into the soil at the time of planting. After planting, marigolds do not require fertilizer as they are low feeders.
Marigolds do not require deadheading but can greatly benefit from it. Removing spent blooms will help the plant produce more blooms rather than starting to set seed. Marigold seeds can be started indoors about 10 weeks prior to the anticipated outdoor planting date. Use a growing media specifically designed for germinating seeds. Keep the seed and media moist by using a plastic cover over the seeding tray.
Marigolds are one of the most popular flowers in home gardens, thanks to their vibrant colors and ease of care. Growing these plants can add color and life to your container gardens, and they help with pest control and pollination too. Whether you're looking to brighten up your garden beds, containers, or even your vegetable patches, there's a type of marigold that's perfect for your needs. From the towering African marigolds to the resilient triploids and the moisture-loving marsh marigolds, these flowers are not only easy to care for but also provide numerous benefits, including pest control and the attraction of pollinators.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Low pH level in the soil | A low pH level in the soil can cause iron and/or manganese toxicity. Signs of low pH issues are brown to black speckling of the foliage. |
| Deadheading | Spent flowers turn brown and are subject to Botrytis, or gray mold. Deadhead spent flowers regularly. |
| Tall, gangly plants | If new plants are tall and gangly, they can be planted a few inches below grade. The stems, when planted below grade, will produce new roots. |
| Thrips | When thrips feed on the upper surface of leaves, the leaves take on a silvery color. Distorted flowers are a sign that thrips are feeding on the plant’s pollen. |
| Leaf miners | Unsightly mines or tunnels in the foliage appear when leaf miners are present. |
| Spider mites | During hot and dry conditions spider mites can devastate a stand of marigolds in a short period of time. Spider mites are difficult to spot in the beginning due to their small size coupled with the fact that they live on the underside of leaves. Mites leave tiny spots on the upper surface of the leaf. When such spots are noticed, a closer investigation and possible treatment of the plant is required. |
