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African Marigold

Annual Flower

Also known as Chrysanthemum-Flowered Marigold, Carnation Flowered Marigold, Gigantea Marigold
Tagetes erecta
Asteraceae Family

Taller and more upright than French Marigolds, African Marigolds are easy to grow and thrive under hot, dry conditions. These aromatic plants brighten the garden with their cheerful shades of yellow, orange and maroon.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information
	Varieties

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

full sun

Soil conditions:

tolerates droughty soil
requires well-drained soil

Special locations:

outdoor containers
xeriscapes

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 1.5 to 2 feet

Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet

Bloom time:

early summer
mid-summer
late summer
early fall
mid-fall

Flower color:

orange
yellow

Flowers come in a wide array of variations on these basic colors, including gold and bronze.

Foliage color:

medium green
dark green
other

Leaves are sometimes tinged with bronze.

Foliage texture: fine

Leaves are fernlike.

Shape: upright

Shape in flower: same as above

Special Considerations

Tolerates:

frost

Special characteristics:

deer resistant
non-aggressive
non-invasive
not native to North America - Native to Africa.
fragrant - Some find the spicy scent pleasing, others find it unpleasant.

Attracts:

butterflies

Special uses:

cut flowers
edible landscaping
direct-seeding

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by seed - Scatter seeds outdoors where desired after frost danger has passed, or start indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. (Seeds saved from hybrid varieties will not breed true.) Unlike French Marigolds, plants take a long time to flower from seed, so it is best to start them indoors or buy pre-started plants.

Germination temperature: 70 F to 75 F

Days to emergence: 7 to 14

Maintenance and care:

Deadhead to prolong blooming. Pinch to keep plants compact and bushy if desired.
More growing information: How to Grow Annuals

Pests:

Japanese Beetle
Red spider mites
Slugs
Snails
Parasitic nematodes

Diseases:

Rarely troubled by diseases.

Varieties

�Jubilee� Series: 2� tall plants with dense, double flowers in shades of yellow and orange.
�Gold Coin� Series: 1 � to 2� tall plants with large (5� wide) double blooms in gold, yellow, and orange.
�Safari� Series: 1� tall plants with flat-topped, large flowers in shades of maroon, yellow, and orange.
�Galore� F-1 hybrids: large (4� wide), dense, flowers in shades of yellow and orange on 1 �� tall plants.
�Inca� F-1 hybrids: dense, compact 14� tall plants with large, double flowers in shades of yellow, orange and maroon.
�Sumo� F-1 hybrids: 1 �� to 2� tall plans with flowers in shades of red, yellow and orange.
�French Vanilla�: 3� wide flowers are pure creamy white. Minimal scent. Plants are 1 � to 2� tall.