Marigold (French)

11. Marigold (French) Tagetes patula

Native to Mexico and Guatemala

Easily grown from seed, half hardy annual, popular as a bedding plant with thousands of cultivars

Used as a companion plant with many vegetable crops as the root secretions are believed to kill nematodes in the soil, also said to repel greenfly and whitefly. Medicinal uses. Can be used to colour food and the dried petals can be used as a spice ‘Imeratian saffron’. Added to poultry feed to make egg yolks a golden yellow. The essential oil from whole flowering plants is used in perfumery.

Dye: the flowers give golden yellow shades.