Tagetes patula Queen Yellow

The 'Queen Yellow' French marigold, in Latin Tagetes patula, is part of a series of recent hybrids whose double flowers, known as 'camellia-like', are larger and more regular than those of traditional varieties. The flowers here are a bright golden yellow, and they bloom continuously until late summer on a sturdy plant, adorned with beautiful finely cut leaves. It is an easy and generous annual, which will undoubtedly bring a radiant touch to summer compositions and sunny borders.

Tagetes Patula 'Queen Yellow' is an herbaceous and frost-tender perennial plant, grown as an annual in most climates. It belongs to the Asteraceae family and is descended from a botanical species native to tropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico to Bolivia. This plant quickly forms a compact, bushy, upright and branched clump from the base, reaching a height of 25-30 cm (10-12in) and a diameter of 30 cm (12in). Its robust angular stems bear large double flowers, mainly at the top, resembling flattened pompoms. They bloom from June until the first frost. Its 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) long leaves are deeply cut and loaded with an essential oil with medicinal properties, whose characteristic scent recalls citrus fruits and pepper, or even apple.

African and French marigolds are star plants in summer flower beds, due to their very easy cultivation, in borders or in pots on the terrace. The strong stems allow for beautiful summer bouquets. The 'Queen Yellow' variety, with its sunny flowers, naturally finds its place in window boxes and containers. It can also be planted en masse along the edge of a flowerbed or path, combined with the grey foliage of artemisias and stachys, the blue flowers of ageratums, and the white carpets of alyssums. Its pairing with foliage plants is always successful: tansies, Kochia Childsii, bronze fennel or small grasses (Stipa, Carex, fescues) will temper its very double large corollas. Marigolds are edible, and their petals can be added to summer salads to enhance their flavour and add colour.

The scent of the foliage of African marigolds, and the substances secreted by their roots, repel certain insects harmful to crops, which is why these plants are often installed among vegetables in the vegetable garden. The French marigold, on the other hand, is also a medicinal and dye plant, from which an essential oil and a yellow food colouring are extracted.

Note: Attention, our young plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant and store them in shelters (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame etc.) at a temperature above 14C° for a few weeks before being installed outdoors once the risk of frost has definitively passed.