(French)
and 
(American
'Indian Gold')
Common name: Marigold
Family: Asteraceae, Aster
Height x width:12-36" x 12"
Growth rate: fast
Foliage: opposite, pinnately dissected, oil glands near margins with distinctive odor when crushed
Flowers: solitary, yellow to orange, 1/2-4" across, summer
Hardiness: annual
Soil: well-drained, tolerates dry; prefers moist, fertile
Light: sun
Pests and problems: wilt and stem rot, leaf spot, botrytis blight, aster yellows virus, spider mites, Japanese beetles, slugs (pests seldom a problem)
Landscape habit, uses: massing, borders, cutting, containers
Other interest: named from Etruscan deity Tages who supposedly sprang from the earth as it was plowed, refering to easy germination and growth; native of Mexico; popular since easy to grow and colorful; French types may be used for varying degrees of root-knot nematode control in soil
Other culture: remove old flowers (deadhead) for repeat and best bloom; space 12" apart
Propagation: sow direct or inside 4-6 weeks before planting out (9000-11,000 seeds per ounce)
Species:
erecta (ee-rec' tah)--American (sometimes listed as African) Marigold, 12-36" tall, flower heads usually solitary and rounded and usually 2-4" across; usually taller than broad; often grouped in dwarf, medium and tall
patula (pa-tuu' lah)--French Marigold, 8-24" tall, usually broader than tall, flowers small 1-2" across
patula x erecta --Triploid Marigold, 12-15" tall, don't set seed so don't stop flowering in summer heat, earlier to bloom
tenuifolia (signata)(ten-uu-eh-fol' ee-ah)--Signet or Scotch Marigold, small single flowers under 1" across over fern-like foliage, 6-9" tall
Cultivars:
| Cultivars | species | height | flowers | other |
| Antigua series | erecta | 12-16" | 4 colors, double | compact |
| 'Apollo' | erecta | 14" | orange, 3" wide | double, very early |
| Aurora series | patula | 12" | 6 colors, 2" wide | compact, early |
| 'Bolero' | patula | 14" | red, gold bicolor | |
| Bonanza series | patula | 8-10" | 7 colors | compact |
| 'Bonita Mix' | patula | 12" | 3 colors | carnation-type |
| Bounty series | patula | 10-12" | 5 colors, 2" wide | heat tolerant |
| Boy series | patula | 8-10" | 5 colors, double | early |
| 'Burgundy Ripple' | patula | 12-14" | maroon eged gold | single |
| Climax series | erecta | 30-36" | 4 colors, 4" wide | double, ball-shaped |
| 'Crackerjack Mix' | erecta | 30-36" | orange, yellow, gold | mix, doubles |
| Crush series | erecta | 10-12" | 3 colors, 4" wide | |
| 'Disco Mix' | patula | 12" | 4 color mix, 2" wide | early, single |
| Discovery series | erecta | 10-12" | orange, yellow 3" wide | very early |
| Excel series | erecta | 15" | 4 colors, 4" wide | vigorous, long bloom |
| 'Favorite Mix' | patula | 22" | mix, single, self-clean | adaptable, 20" wide |
| 'Fireflame' | patula | 8-10" | red,gold bicolor | double |
| 'French Vanilla' | erecta | 24" | ivory, 3" wide | odorless flowers |
| Galore series | erecta | 16-18" | 3 colors, large, double | |
| Gem series | tenuifolia | 8" | gold, yellow, orange | |
| Gold Coin series | erecta | 30-36" | 3 colors, 4" across | double |
| 'Gold & Vanilla' | erecta | 20-30" | 3 colors + white | |
| 'Golden Gate' | patula | 9" | mahogany edged gold | 2"+ wide, AAS1989 |
| 'Goldfinch' | patula | 10-12" | deep gold, double | |
| 'Grand Prix Mix' | patula | 10-12" | 3 colors, 3" wide | double |
| 'Gypsy Sunshine' | patula | 6-8" | butter yellow | |
| 'Happy Days Mix' | patula | 10" | 3 colors, 2" across | double |
| Hero series | patula | 10" | 6 colors, single | similar to Bonanza |
| 'Holiday Crested' | patula | 12" | 3 color mix, large | uniform, early |
| 'Honeycomb' | patula | 14" | deep red edged orange | |
| Inca series | erecta | 18" | 3 colors, double | compact |
| 'Jaguar' | patula | 10 | yellow, red centers | rain tolerant |
| Janie series | patula | 8-10" | 7 colors, 2" wide | |
| Jubilee series | erecta | 18-20" | orange, yellow | 3" wide flowers |
| Lady series | erecta | 15-18" | 4 colors, double | carnation flowered |
| Laguna series | patula x erecta | 12" | 3 colors, double | anemone flowers |
| 'Lemon Drop' | patula | 8" | lemon yellow, double | |
| Little Hero series | patula | 8" | 4 colors, 2" wide | heat tolerant |
| 'Lulu' | tenuifolia | 12" | bright yellow | |
| 'Medallion Mix' | erecta | 6-9" | yellow, gold, orange | 3" wide flowers |
| 'Moonbeam' | erecta | 15" | yellow, double, large | early |
| 'Moonshot' | erecta | 14" | yellow, 3" wide | double, very early |
| 'Mr. Majestic' | patula | 12" | yellow, red striped | |
| 'Naughty Marietta' | patula | 10" | gold, red center | |
| 'Nema-gone' | patula | 48" | orange, 1" wide | controls nematodes |
| Nuggett series | patula x erecta | 12-15" | 4 colors, double, large | wide |
| 'Paprika' | tenuifolia | 6" | red, edged gold | |
| Perfection series | erecta | 18" | 3 colors, 3" wide | double, vigorous |
| 'Queen Sophia' | patula | 12-14" | russet edged orange | double, anemone |
| 'Red Cherry' | patula | 12" | bright red | early |
| 'Red Seven Star' | patula | 10" | orange, mahogany mottle | |
| Safari series | patula | 12" | 8 colors, 3" wide | early, anemone type |
| 'Scarlet Sophie' | patula | 10-12" | red | camellia-like |
| 'Snowdrift' | erecta | 22" | creamy white, 3" wide | prefers part shade |
| 'Starfire' | tenuifolia | 6-8" | mix | |
| 'Striped Marvel' | patula | 24-30" | red, yellow striped | uniform, adaptable |
| 'Sugar & Spice Mix' | erecta | 20" | 3 colors + white | double, carnation type |
| 'Sumo Mix' | erecta | 20" | 3 colors, rounded | rain tolerant |
| 'Susie Wong' | patula | 12" | lemon yellow, 3" wide | 15" wide plant |
| 'Tiger Eyes' | patula | 12-14" | red, yellow | anemone-type |
| 'Trinity Mix' | patula x erecta | 10-12" | 3 colors, 3" wide | carnation-type |
| 'Truffles Mix' | patula | 8" | 5 colors, double | early, heat tolerant |
| Voyager series | erecta | 14-16" | yellow, gold 3" wide | early |
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