African Marigold
Tagetes erecta
Zones 7–13
Growing
These fragrant, upright annuals are a staple for any warm-season garden, especially if you want to invite pollinators to your flower beds. You can start your seeds indoors to get a head start before transplanting them into the garden once the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. Because they grow on a single upright stem, they are particularly well-suited for containers or as focal points in garden borders.
To keep your blooms looking vibrant and to encourage the plant to continue reblooming, practice regular deadheading by removing spent flowers. This simple maintenance helps the plant direct its energy into new blossoms rather than seed production. If you are interested in using them for floral arrangements, these blooms make excellent cut flowers, and their sturdy structure also makes them ideal for drying.
When managing your garden space, keep an eye on the area around the base of your plants. Maintaining good weed control is essential, as dense weeds can sometimes harbor issues in the soil. While these flowers are beautiful and beneficial for pollinators, please keep in mind that they are toxic to pets.
| Sun | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | medium |
| Grow time | — |
| Height | 1–3ft |
| Spacing | 12–24in |
| Full sun | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Part shade | ✓ |
| Shade | ✗ |
| Life cycle | annual |
|---|---|
| Category | garden annual |
| Growth habit | upright |
| Season | warm |
| Frost tolerance | tender |
| Height | 1–3ft |
| Spacing | 12–24in |
| Days to bloom | 45–90 |
| Native us | ✗ |
| Water | medium |
|---|---|
| Drainage | well drained |
| Soil ph min | 6.0 |
| Soil ph max | 7.5 |
| Propagation | |
| Seed | ✓ |
| Cutting | ✗ |
| Division | ✗ |
| Graft | ✗ |
| Tuber bulb crown | ✗ |
| Transplant | ✓ |
| Container ok | ✓ |
| Spread | self seeds |
| Deer resistant | ✓ |
| Drought tolerant | ✓ |
| Pollinator friendly | ✓ |
| Toxic to | |
| People | ✗ |
| Pets | ✓ |
| Livestock | ✗ |
| Length | 6–12wk |
|---|---|
| Colors | |
| White | ✓ |
| Yellow | ✓ |
| Orange | ✓ |
| Red | ✓ |
| Pink | ✗ |
| Purple | ✗ |
| Blue | ✗ |
| Green | ✗ |
| Fragrant | ✓ |
| Reblooms | ✓ |
| Deadhead | ✓ |
| Cut flower | ✓ |
| Dried flower | ✓ |
| Status | none |
|---|---|
| Regions | |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| Midwest | ✗ |
| Plains | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| Mountain west | ✗ |
| Pacific northwest | ✗ |
| California | ✗ |
| Hawaii | ✗ |
| State noxious | ✗ |
| Escapes cultivation | ✗ |
| Visitors | |
|---|---|
| Honey bees | ✓ |
| Native bees | ✓ |
| Bumblebees | ✓ |
| Butterflies | ✓ |
| Moths | ✓ |
| Hummingbirds | ✗ |
| Beneficial insects | ✓ |
| Nectar | medium |
| Pollen | high |
| Larval host | ✓ |
| Specialist bees | ✗ |
| Seed for birds | ✓ |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Harvest | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
References: Wikipedia · how this data is made