Marigold varieties are great for colorful flowers
The marigolds you are most familiar with may be standard yellow or orange in four-packs at the garden center. But marigolds come in a variety of beautiful sizes, shapes, and colors, and have many uses. Some are big enough to cover a trash can, while others barely reach ankle height. Certain types of marigolds make great cut flowers or add flavor to your salad. Other marigolds are great for repelling insects. Here are the best marigold varieties to grow in your garden to enjoy all these beautiful and useful plants have to offer.
Varieties of marigolds for the garden
Marigolds are generally divided into three types: African, French, and Cygnet marigolds. All of these types of marigolds are fast-growing annuals that bloom reliably from early summer until frost. Deadheading will encourage more blooms and prevent marigold volunteers from appearing the following spring. But each type has its own unique characteristics.
African Marigolds
These tall and stately plants make beautiful borders along fences, set other flowers at the back of perennial beds, and are all a great addition. African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) make excellent cut flowers with long, sturdy stems and good vase life. They are relatively low-maintenance summer flowers and thrive in hot, dry conditions. Here are some beautiful varieties of African marigold flowers to try:
'White Swan' is a distinctive, creamy white or chiffon double marigold. Round, 2-3 inch wide flowers on long stems make excellent cut flowers without the typical marigold scent that some people dislike. The plants reach a height of 2-3 feet and make a lovely choice behind the bed.
‘Crackerjack’ is another tall selection, with double blooms in pumpkin orange and canary yellow. Reaching about 30 inches tall, it may require staking in windy areas. This variety loves the summer heat and, with deadheading, will keep putting out gorgeous blooms all the way to autumn frosts.
'Inca' is a short African marigold that grows to knee height, perfect if you don't have room for a taller plant. Its bright yellow flowers are round like a ball, making excellent cut flowers.
'Cocoa Gold' offers fully double flowers in soft orange. This variety has excellent stem length and hardiness for cut flowers and the bonus of tasty edible petals.
'Jedi Orange' could be the show-stopper you've been looking for. Plants that can reach four feet tall have foliage on the ground, and the fully double flowers are enormous, some as large as a softball.
French Marigolds
Compact, bushy forms and bright colors make French marigolds (Dagets patula) a favorite. They are generally not bothered by pests or diseases, and they make wonderful companion plants for your vegetable garden. Flowers fade all the way up to frost.
'Court Jester' is an heirloom variety with red and yellow pinwheel flowers. It tolerates poor soil and looks great grouped in rock gardens, where the surrounding stone sets off their colors.
'Alumia Vanilla Cream' is an early bloomer and covers itself with large 2.5-inch soft flowers of pale yellow petals and matching centers. It reaches about 12 inches tall and wide.
'Strawberry Blonde' is a unique marigold that displays pale pinks, roses, and pale yellows in bicolor blooms from a short, stocky plant.
Signet marigolds
A less well-known marigold variety, the cygnet marigold (Dagets tenuifolia) offers simple color and compactness. They're great for window boxes, colorful garden beds, and companion planting because they don't shade anything. Also known as lemon marigolds, some cygnet varieties emit a lemon scent when their leaves are bruised.
'Starfire' is a variegated cultivar with single flowers of orange, lemon, maroon, and gold. It reaches about 12 inches tall and does well in containers and baskets.
'Lemon Gem' produces bright, almost luminous yellow flowers all summer long. At about 10 inches tall, it makes a great companion plant in the vegetable garden, adding some color and bringing in pollinators.
'Tangerine Gem' is a small, bright, profuse-flowering, edible petal that is perfect for salads and other summer dishes.
Other types of marigolds to try
Mexican mint marigold (Tagetes lucida), also known as Spanish tarragon, has a sweet aroma and is an excellent substitute for French tarragon. The flowers and leaves have a licorice flavor and are popular for garnishing and flavoring foods. Unlike many marigolds, the Mexican mint marigold is a hardy perennial in USDA zones 8-10. If you live in a cold climate, this marigold can be dug up in the fall, kept as a houseplant all winter, and then replanted outside in the spring. It reaches a height of 16-20 inches.
Irish lace marigold (Dagets filifolia) has fine, lacy foliage and is grown as an herb used to add an anise flavor to teas and foods. You may need to order seeds online for this hard-to-find plant.
The Mexican marigold (Tagetes lemmonii) is a perennial shrub native to Mexico and the American Southwest. Beautiful yellow flowers 3-4 feet tall form an attractive and fragrant deer-resistant display. It is hardy in zones 8-11.
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