Red Knight Marigold Seeds - Tagetes patula

The 'Red Knight' Marigold or Tagetes patula 'Red Knight' is a variety of very high quality: it forms a vigorous but compact and bushy clump, reaching a height of 20 cm (8in), topped with single bicoloured flowers. From late spring to autumn, this plant offers flowers with mahogany petals edged in yellow, surrounding a yellow central disk, creating a beautiful contrasting bicoloured duo. Cultivated as an annual, it is easy to sow and grow in well-drained soil in full sun.

Tagetes patula is an herbaceous annual plant from the Asteraceae family, native to tropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico to Bolivia. The 'Red Knight' selection quickly forms a small spreading bushy clump, measuring approximately 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12in) in all directions. Its dark green, highly dissected aromatic foliage emits an odor that can sometimes be unpleasant. Its flowering extends from June to October, provided that faded flowers are regularly removed. This 'Red Knight' variety offers magnificent simple heads, with ligulate (outermost petals of the head) of deep mahogany red, bordered by a fine yellow edge. The central disk is yellow. These plants readily self-sow in the garden, although they do not always faithfully reproduce the parent variety.

Marigolds are very popular plants in summer beds, bringing cheerfulness, being easy to grow, and producing abundant flowering. They are perfect in borders and containers. To temper their flamboyant temperament, they can be paired with grey foliage, such as that of artemisias and stachys, or with small ornamental grasses. The scent of marigold foliage and the substances secreted by their roots repel certain pests harmful to crops, which is why these plants are often placed among the vegetables in the kitchen garden. For a blooming vegetable garden, plant Tagetes with Dahlias, Agastaches, and Nasturtiums.