This species is treated here to include Tagetes patula L., commonly known as the French Marigold.

Common Name: African Marigold

General Information

Tagetes erecta is an aromatic, erect, annual plant that can grow up to 180cm tall, but is more likely to be around 25cm[].
The plant has a wide range of medicinal uses, is also used as a flavouring in food, a popular dye plant and is an effective repellent. It is cultivated as a dye plant in the Americas, and is widely cultivated in temperate to tropical regions as an ornamental plant[].
A commonly grown ornamental plant, it can escape from cultivation and become established in the wild[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

Southern N. America - Mexico; Central America - Guatemala

Habitat

Grows in the pine-oak forest zone[]. Moist or rather dry thickets or open fields, often a weed in cultivated or waste ground at elevations up to 1,850 metres in Guatemala[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Tagetes erecta is mainly native to the subtropical zone of Mexico and Guatemala, though it has spread through cultivation is is naturalized from the temperate zone to the tropics. Although not very frost resistant, it can be grown as a tender annual in temperate areas, sowing the seed in a greenhouse in the spring and planting out after the last expected frosts.
Requires a well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils and in sandy soils[].
Flowering starts about 3 months after planting and continues for several months[].
The flowers are very attractive to butterflies[].
Removing dead flowers before the seed is formed will extend the flowering season[].
The flowers are often sold in local markets in Nepal and used as an offering to the Gods[].
A number of named forms have been developed for their ornamental value[]. The cultivar 'Yellow Climax' has mild flavoured edible flowers that can be used as colourful garnishes[].
All parts of the plant emit an unpleasant smell similar to that of stale urine when they are bruised[].
Plants are prone to attacks by slugs, snails and botrytis[].

Edible Uses

The petals of the flowers of some varieties can be eaten[]. The fresh receptacle is eaten by children[].

A yellow dye obtained from the flowers can be used as a saffron substitute for colouring and flavouring foods[].
The yellow flowers are the source of two food-colorant products: ‘marigold meal’ and ‘marigold extract’. Marigold meal consists of the dried powdered flowers and is used mainly in poultry feed to enhance the yellow colour of the meat and of the egg-yolks. Marigold extract is a solvent extract of the flowers, used mainly in western Europe as a yellow to orange food colorant, e.g. in salad dressings, ice cream, dairy products and other foodstuffs with a high fat content, but also in soft drinks, bakery products, jams and confectionery[].

The leaves are sometimes used as a condiment[, ].

Medicinal

The whole herb is anthelmintic, aromatic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, sedative and stomachic[, ]. It is used internally in the treatment of indigestion, colic, severe constipation[], coughs and dysentery[]. Externally, it is used to treat sores, ulcers, eczema. Sore eyes and rheumatism[, , , ]. The leaves are harvested as required for immediate use during the growing season, whilst the flowering plant can be dried and stored for later use[].

A paste of the leaves is applied externally to treat boils, carbuncles and earaches[].

The flowers are carminative, diuretic and vermifuge[]. A decoction is used to treat colds, and mumps[]. It is applied externally to treat skin diseases, conjunctivitis and sore eyes[, ].

The root is laxative[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Secretions from the roots of growing plants have an insecticidal effect on the soil, effective against nematodes and to some extent against keeled slugs. These secretions are produced about 3 - 4 months after sowing[]. The flower petals also have nematacidal properties[].
Sometimes the plant is grown in crop fields as an insect repellent because of its sharp peculiar smell, although the plant itself is susceptible to insect pests[]. The French marigold is often used as a companion plant, especially for growing amongst tomatoes and potatoes where it helps to repel pests[].

Other Uses

A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[, ]. Both fresh and dry flowers can be used to dye wool, silk and cellulose fibres into shades of golden-yellow to orange and olive-green to bronze, depending on the mordanting substances used[].

An essential oil obtained from the flowers and leaves is used in small traces in perfumery to impart floral and ‘apple’ notes[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.