🌿 Marigold (French)

Tagetes patula

herbs annual flower

☀️ Sun

full sun

💧 Water

moderate (drought-tolerant once established)

🗺️ Zones

2–11 (annual)

🪴 Soil Type

well-drained loam; tolerates poor to average soil

🧪 Soil pH

6.0–7.5

💧 Drainage

well-drained

📏 Spacing

6–12 inches (French), 12–18 inches (African)

📐 Height

6–12 inches (French), 12–36 inches (African)

📅 Days to Maturity

50–60 days to flower

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ petals (salads🍽️ garnish🍽️ colorant🍽️ 'poor man's saffron')🍽️ leaves (sparingly🍽️ strong flavor)

🤝 Companions (9)

🤝 Tomato

Classic pairing: marigold root exudates suppress root-knot nematodes that attack tomatoes; strong scent masks tomatoes from whiteflies and hornworm moths.

🤝 Potato

Marigolds suppress nematodes that damage potato tubers through root exudates; attract beneficial insects that prey on potato pests. Note: Research (UMN Extension) shows marigolds do NOT deter Colorado potato beetles. Their benefit to potatoes is primarily nematode suppression and general biodiversity.

🤝 Bean

Marigolds repel Mexican bean beetles and protect bean roots from nematodes; both thrive in well-drained warm soil.

🤝 Squash

Marigold scent deters squash bugs and cucumber beetles; attracts pollinators for squash fruit set.

🤝 Cabbage

Marigolds mask brassicas from cabbage moths and suppress clubroot nematodes in brassica beds.

🤝 Pepper

Marigolds protect pepper roots from nematodes and repel aphids; similar heat-loving growing conditions.

🤝 Eggplant

Marigolds suppress nematodes that devastate eggplant roots; deter flea beetles common on eggplants.

🤝 Rose

Marigolds repel aphids from roses and suppress soil pathogens around rose roots; orange/yellow flowers complement roses aesthetically.

🤝 Strawberry

Marigolds protect strawberry roots from nematodes and verticillium wilt; attract hoverflies that eat strawberry aphids.

⚠️ Keep Apart (0)

No antagonistic relationships recorded yet.

💊 Medicinal Uses

Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal. Petals used for skin conditions, minor wounds, conjunctivitis (infusion). Contains lutein and zeaxanthin (eye health), thiophenes (antimicrobial root exudates), tagetone (essential oil). Calendula-like uses but different chemical profile. French marigold (Tagetes patula) is most potent for pest suppression.

📜 History & Traditional Uses

Aztecs used marigolds medicinally, ritually, and decoratively. Spanish brought them to Europe in the 1500s. Used in Dia de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico. Hindi culture uses garlands for weddings and religious ceremonies. Victorian 'language of flowers' associated marigolds with grief and jealousy. African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) despite name are native to Mexico/Central America.

📝 Notes

Premier companion plant in organic gardening. Root exudates contain alpha-terthienyl that suppresses nematodes (root-knot, lesion). Strong scent deters whiteflies, aphids, cabbage moths, and squash bugs. French marigolds are more effective against nematodes than African. 'Nemagold', 'Tangerine', and 'Petite' series are especially good nematode suppressors. Attracts hoverflies and ladybugs. Plant as a border crop throughout the vegetable garden.