4 Different Types of Marigolds and How to Grow Them

Do you know that there are four different types of marigolds out there? If not, this article will help to find out more about each variety.

The marigold itself is a stunning, small blooming plant that is very prominent in North America. Not only is beautiful, this flower also offers a range of benefits for our health.

In this article, you can find a different variety of marigolds and learn some tips on how to grow them properly in your garden.

Signet Marigolds

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Let’s start with signet marigolds, bright colored flowers that are perfect for both regular and herb gardens.

Despite their beautiful-looking appearance, these types of marigolds are edible. You can even find a lot of ways to add them to your cuisines when doing some research online.

Many people love to sprinkle marigolds over their salads to boost their sweetness.

These marigolds have round, billowy blossoms that can add an outstanding beauty in any garden.

You just need to put these marigolds in areas with plenty of sun and provide them with moist soil for enjoying the most of the flowers.

Consider giving the marigolds too much fertile since doing so may result in fewer flowers and a weakness plant structure.

Different Varieties of Signet Marigolds

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Under the Signet umbrella, there are several varieties of marigolds including Lemon Gem, Spanish Tarragon, and Irish Lace.

Lemon gem marigolds typically grow up to 30 cm tall and have bright yellow flowers. You can enjoy the blossoms of these varieties all summer long.

There is also a tangerine gem marigold, a similar flowering plant that comes with bright orange blooms instead of yellow.

Spanish Tarragon and Irish Lace are other types of marigolds that you can find in many nurseries.

While the Spanish tarragon can grow up to 90 inches tall, the Irish lace is a shorter variety that cannot reach such sizes.

Irish Lace produces small white flowerets and lacey foliages. Its dark, eye-catching leaves complement the beauty of the blossoms perfectly.

Besides, there are also pot marigolds, cool-season annuals that have brilliant yellow and orange blossoms. You can grow these varieties as herbs in your garden.

These types of marigolds have a maroon variant that features yellow edges as well. People call this variety a paprika gem due to its appearance.

A paprika gem marigold has citrusy scent and can grow stunning flowers throughout the summer.

Other Things to Know About Signet Marigolds

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Luckily, signet marigolds are not difficult to maintain. As a result, they become the darling of many neighborhoods for their beauty and edible characteristics.

Since they love moist soil, just make sure to water the plant when it gets dry. Consider getting rid of the spent blossoms too since it helps them to grow even fuller and faster.

To speed up their growth in the middle of summer, you can cut them off around one-third to let the flowers bloom when the cool weather comes back.

You can remove these types of marigolds for culinary purposes once the flowers are fully blooming.

Having a spicy tarragon taste, delicious, and lacy are some of the main benefits of signet marigolds. They also generate lemon-scented leaves to enliven your garden.

French Marigolds

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If you need some beautiful flowers to fill in your indoor containers, French marigolds can be a good choice due to its sturdy quality.

French marigolds can grow especially good when you put them in areas with temperature of 21 to 24 degrees Celsius.

When you plant these types of marigolds, some sprouting typically start to come into view within a week or two.

However, it is important to pay attention to slugs, Japanese beetles, and snails since these pests can cause problems to your lovely marigolds.

Different Varieties of French Marigolds

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Similar to signet marigolds, these flowering plants also have several different variants under their class.

Janie is one of the most popular French marigold varieties today. This plant generates striking flowers that look like double carnations. The blossoms are typically in shades of maroon, orange, and yellow.

The average height of Janie marigolds is only 20 cm, making them perfect for urban gardeners who have limited space only.

Furthermore, there is also Bonanza Marigold, a flowering plant that grows around 20 to 25 cm in height and about 2 inches in diameter.

Bonanza marigolds come with compact, bushy blossoms in various bright colors including orange, maroon, and yellow.

French marigolds also have a variant called Bounty that produces orange, gold, and red flowers. This variety can reach 25 to 30 cm tall.

If you are living in hot, humid climates, growing these types of marigolds will be a good choice since these flowers love such environment.

Additionally, you can also take Safari marigolds into account for a larger variety. These flowers have dense flowers in orange, red, gold, and yellow colors. They typically grow up to 36 cm tall with three-inch-wide blossoms.

Other Things to Know About French Marigolds

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These types of marigolds have been popular since a long time ago primarily due to their easy-to-care and fast-to-grow property.

French marigolds are very versatile as well since people tend to include them in perfume formulas aside from using the flowers for various cuisines.

You can count on French marigolds to endure droughts and even deer. When purchasing these flowering plants, get ready to enjoy their flowers in three out of the four seasons too.

Compared to other varieties, these types of marigolds can hold up the rainy weather more properly. Besides, they typically bloom from spring to winter, making them ideal for a novice gardener with an interest in colorful blossoms.

Triploid Hybrids

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These hybrid flowers are a cross between French and American marigolds. Interestingly, the plants produce huge blossoms that are strong enough even in challenging circumstances.

When growing triploid hybrid marigolds, you can expect them to stay healthy and attractive despite of how harsh the weather is.

However, it does not necessarily make these types of marigolds easy to grow. Due to their low germination, you may find it pretty hard to plant them without following several basic rules.

Different Varieties of Triploid Hybrid Marigolds

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Like the other marigold types, triploid hybrids also come in several different varieties including Nugget and Zenith.

Zenith is a fascinating flowering plant that does not have any seed to set. You do not need to perform dead-heading when planting this marigold as well.

If you are looking for tall marigold varieties, Zenith can be the one since it is capable to reach 35 cm tall and three inches wide when grown-up.

On the other hand, Nugget is a less popular triploid hybrid that acquires compact double flower-heads.

You will commonly find Nugget marigold in vivid colors like red, orange, yellow, and gold.

Other Things to Know About Triploid Hybrids

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Keep in mind that these types of marigolds do not reproduce. You just need to follow the rules attached to the plant to grow them successfully.

Consider doing some research online too if you need some details about growing triploid hybrids at home.

As long as you do not violate the rules and take care of these marigolds the way it is supposed to be, the flowers should bloom constantly every year.

When you grow them properly, triploid hybrids tend to generate flowers much longer compared to other types of marigolds.

Moreover, triploid hybrids acquire a much broader adaptability to a variety of climates too. They can perform better even in very hot environment.

Triploid hybrids are also more neutral to day-length rather than other marigold types.

African Marigolds

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These types of marigolds come with very big blossoms. These flowers are ideal for bouquets, decorations, and even special floral arrangements.

Similar to other marigold varieties, they require a spot that is warm and sunny to cultivate properly.

African marigolds are popular for their strong fragrance that keeps deer, rabbits, as well as other animals at bay.

Compared to French marigolds, they are a bit more tolerant of dry weather. These flowers are also versatile since you can also take advantage of them for alternative medicines such as to treat hiccups.

They are a colorful, eye-catching, and sturdy flowering plant that can reach 7 cm wide. The flowers of these marigolds come in creamy white, gold, orange, and yellow.

Meanwhile, these types of marigolds are also known as Aztec. The reason is because the tribe utilized the flowers for medicinal, ceremonial, and decoration purposes.

The Aztecs even used marigolds to dye and wash skin. In particular parts of the world, these practices still exist.

Aztec marigolds can add flavor and color to various salad recipes. You can also use them as fragrances for different perfumes.

To dye foods like broiler skins and egg yolks, you just need ground the marigold petals to powder.

Besides, these types of marigolds make a great variety for bedding as well. Try to employ the taller variants as background plants as they will do well too.

Some Good Reasons to Grow Marigolds

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It is no secret that marigolds are simple to grow, care, and maintain. Aside from this advantage, these flowering plants also have long growing season as well as repelling properties.

Many types of marigolds can help to repel pests like Mexican bean beetles when cultivated with other vegetables and herbs.

Once you get and plant marigolds in your garden, it will be easy to understand why these plants are very popular in many regions.

Marigolds are a perfect plant to grow even for novice gardeners or those who have no luck with their blooms flowering and thriving.

Moreover, you can also opt for edible varieties of marigolds and use them in various recipes including salads, cakes, and cupcakes.

If you do not want to use marigolds immediately, try to dry and store them somewhere for future uses. Make sure to do so in well-ventilated spots that are slightly shady.

After your marigolds are fully dry, you can store them in glass jars and place the containers in a cool, dry area.

Aside from using various types of marigolds for their beauty and edible properties, you can also take advantage of these flowers for medicinal purposes.

Sprains, jaundice, wounds, toothache, fever, bee stings, and headaches are some of the possible conditions to treat with marigolds.

Then, you can boil marigold flowers and use the water as a natural food dye. In restaurants, some cooks even swap the usual saffron with this method to color rice.

How to Take Advantage of Marigolds in Everyday Life

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There are numerous ways to utilize marigolds to treat particular health conditions. The following are some of the most popular ones to note.

For skin conditions like dry skin, bites, blisters, and acne, you can get an ointment containing types of marigolds for soothing relief.

Furthermore, if you need to deal with a variety of fungal infections like hemorrhoids and candida, consider getting a salve with marigold formulations.

Meanwhile, making a tea out of marigold flowers is perfect for soothing digestive issues. The useful compounds of these blooms can help to recover menstrual cramps, ulcers, acid reflux, and kinds of inflammatory bowel diseases.

You can also use various types of marigolds to increase your immunity and deal with common problems such as fevers, sore throats, as well as coughs. Take a few drops of marigold oil or Calendula for this purpose.

Marigold oil makes a great remedy for ear infections and a bug spray as well. Just several drops of this formula are enough to treat the problem effectively.

If you are interested in creating homemade remedies out of marigolds, boiling them for an ointment or paste should be easy.

Marigolds Natural Substances

Of course, all the above uses of marigolds are possible because these flowering plants comprise various natural substances like flavonoids, steroids, calendic acid, polysaccharides, carotenoids, linoleic acid, and others.

These natural substances in marigolds offer medicinal purposes without causing any danger to your body.

When taken internally, many types of marigolds can increase circulation, encourage cells that prevent infections, and detoxify digestive system.

Besides, marigolds can help to balance the female reproductive system as well.

For external uses, marigolds are capable to promote the growth of healthy tissue, stop any bleeding, and heal diaper rash.

However, pregnant or lactating women should not take marigolds internally since it may result in something unhealthy for both the mother and the baby.

The external uses of marigolds may not cause any problem, but it must be authorized by doctors to make sure your safety.

Tips to Grow Various Types of Marigolds Properly

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No matter the types of marigolds you are planning to plant, several tips apply to all of them. Taking these tricks into account can make a huge disparity in the size and color of your plants later on.

1. Recognize Your Planting Zone

Doing so will help to determine when the right time to plant the seed is and how to take care of the plant as it grows.

If your residence is included in zone 8 or higher, the marigolds are more likely to stick around all year round since they will not vanish in the cold season.

This means, you can expect to see your marigolds return the subsequent year with more stunning and fuller blossoms.

2. Make Sure to Always Plant Any Types of Marigolds After the First Frost

However, you better start cultivating African varieties a few days after the very last ice because they are pretty slow to mature.

Consider planting your marigolds in the morning to decrease the shock that the plants may experience due to the heat. Doing so can improve your chance of success in growing these flowers.

3. Consider Seeds versus Seedlings

While both of them offer their benefits, the kernels are cheaper. However, they typically take longer to germinate.

On the other hand, seedlings are less inexpensive, but you can expect them to generate direct satisfaction.

Next, determine where you want to plant the types of marigolds. Whether the final choice is in a garden or in pots, remember that the flowers require space for blooming perfectly.

When you plant the fully grown varieties, they need around 24 to 36 inches between them. Even though marigolds enjoy the bright sunlight very much, these plants can deal with environments with up to 20% shade.

Then, keep in mind to trim your marigolds regularly, especially if you spot some dead flowers or leaves on the plant.

To maintain the productivity of the marigolds, don’t forget to deadhead them and keep the soil damp to avoid the development of unwanted garden pests.

After that, you need to decide on the types of marigolds to plant since each of them offer diverse sizes and colors of flowers.

Last but not least, put your marigolds from 20 to 45 cm apart when you plant them from seedlings. Once the blooms begin to appear, fertilize the flowers once per four to six weeks.

Final Thoughts

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Marigolds are indeed a multipurpose plant that not only offers beauty but also have medicinal qualities.

You can grow them easily and do not have to practice many difficult rules for enjoying the stunning flowers of marigolds.

Now that you have explored different types of marigolds and their various benefits, missing these flower varieties will be regretting.