| Scientific Name: | Tagetes erecta (incl. hybid cvs.) |
| Common Name: | African marigold |
| Family Name: | Asteraceae |
| Origin: | Central America, Garden origin, Mexico |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 9: (-7 to -1 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Annual (grown as) |
| Mature Size: | 0.4 - 0.7m x 0.3 - 0.6m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Stiffly upright |
| Form: | Oval - vertical |
| Texture: | Medium - fine |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract beneficial insects, Attract butterflies, Bedding plant, Cut flower or foliage, Fragrance, Group or mass planting, Summer interest |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Soil or Media: | Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Compound, Alternate, Soft flexible, Glabrous, Distinctive smell, Odd-pinnate, Lanceolate, Serrate |
| Flowers: | Head (capitulum), White, Orange, Yellow, May-Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep-Oct |
| Fruit: | Achene, Brown, Black, Oct |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Glabrous annual plant, 30-50(-120)cm tall, stems angular; leaves pinnately compound, (5-)7-10(-15)cm long, typically with 8-12 pairs of leaflets, lanceolate, most 2-4cm long x 5-10mm wide, margin serrate, matte, light green, sparse dark glands on lower surface, strongly scented; heads (5-)7-10(-13)cm wide, rounded, usually double, commonly bright yellow to orange (red and cream to white bicolour cultivars exist), aromatic when crushed. | |