Illustration
Marigold
Tagetes
Marigold blooms from May through October.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Marigold
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. Expect it to reach about 12 in tall and 12 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Marigold
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Marigold into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from May to October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Marigold get?
12 intall5 ft 7 inan adult12 inwideSee Marigold in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Marigold
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Marigold about 12 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Marigold to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Marigold's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 8 published sources on July 30, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenTagetes erecta, African marigoldheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenTagetes patula, French marigoldheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenTagetes patula 'Strawberry Blonde'height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionTagetes, the genus entryheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterMarigold, the genus factsheetheight, sun and trait tags
- University of Illinois ExtensionMarigold, Tagetes sp.height, sun and trait tags
- University of Minnesota ExtensionMarigoldssun and trait tags
- University of Wisconsin HorticultureWisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension (Marigolds)hardiness zones and sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 10 varieties across 3 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every variety in the Marigolds group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| African | Orange | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 24 in × 16 in |
| Bicolor | Red | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Cream | White | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 16 in × 12 in |
| French | Yellow | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Gold | Yellow | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Lemon Gem | Yellow | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 10 in × 12 in |
| Marigoldthis page | Orange | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Orange | Orange | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Red | Red | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Tangerine Gem | Orange | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 10 in × 12 in |
| Yellow | Yellow | May–Oct | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
Good to know about Marigold
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
True marigold's sap can cause phototoxic skin irritation: cell sap plus sunlight can redden, burn or blister sensitive skin (thiophene compounds). Wear gloves if your skin reacts. per NC State
Worth knowing
One chemistry explains three traits: the thiophenes (alpha-terthienyl) the roots exude to suppress nematodes also cause the skin irritation and the scent that deters deer. per NC State and University of Florida
Is marigold toxic?
The reassuring 'non-toxic to pets' listing is Calendula (pot marigold), a different plant. True Tagetes marigold is a low-severity skin irritant; marsh marigold (Caltha) is toxic if eaten. per ASPCA and NC State
Fights root-knot nematodes in soil
French marigold (T. patula), grown as a dense solid stand for a full season before the crop, suppresses root-knot nematodes; a few tucked among vegetables does not. per University of Florida and Journal of Nematology
Single flowers feed pollinators
Open single and signet marigolds give bees and butterflies real nectar; dense fully-double pompoms convert stamens to petals and bury the nectar, so pollinators reach little. per NC State and Xerces
Three garden marigold types
French (T. patula) is small and bushy; African or American (T. erecta) is tall with big double pompoms; signet (T. tenuifolia) is mounded with many tiny single flowers. per NC State and University of Florida
Spider mites and gray mold
Spider mites are the top pest in hot, dry weather (stippled, yellowing leaves and fine webbing); Botrytis gray mold rots the blooms in cool, wet, humid spells. per Clemson and NC State
What pairs well with Marigold
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Windflower
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border.
Winterberry
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; overlaps, then carries the display into early winter; both offer pollinator forage; stands well above at 6.5 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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