Tagetes Gold Medal - Sterile French Marigold

The 'Gold Medal' French Marigold is a prolific, bushy and rounded annual plant, producing a multitude of small golden-yellow or yellow-orange star-shaped flowers with orange centres, forming a tuft as light as it is resplendent from summer to frost. The flowers bloom on fine aromatic foliage, releasing a delicious tangerine fragrance when crushed. Unique in hanging baskets and flower pots, this plant is also perfect for ornamental gardens, to accompany summer and autumn flowerings in flowerbeds. It should be grown in the sun, in well-drained soil, even occasionally dry.

The 'Gold Medal' Marigold is a novel sterile hybrid between the annual French marigold planted at the base of tomato plants (Tagetes patula) and a bushy perennial species native to Mexico: Tagetes lemmonii. 'Gold Medal', thanks to its sterility, shows exceptional growth and flowering, and requires no removal of faded flowers. However, it does require full sun exposure and frequent watering. The plant quickly forms a bushy and branched clump measuring 60 cm (24in) in all directions. From June to October, and even later if there is no frost, its cylindrical stems bear small flowers, 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter, with 6 outer florets in golden-yellow to orange, surrounding a centre composed of tiny florets with a more orange colour. These flowers are arranged in terminal parts of the stems which also bear small lanceolate and dentate dark green leaves. Both flowers and leaves are loaded with an essential oil that resembles the fragrance of citrus fruits, particularly that of tangerines. The faded flowers remove themselves, reducing plant maintenance to a minimum.

French marigolds are star plants in summer flowerbeds, due to their very easy cultivation, in borders or in pots on the patio. The light silhouette and brilliant flowering of the Gold Medal Marigold almost make us forget its relationship with classic varieties, as this plant has a very natural appearance. It allows for the creation of beautiful hanging baskets, in addition to having a tangy and refreshing fragrance. It can also be planted in small touches, amidst the grey foliage of artemisias and stachys, with ageratums, or surrounded by greenery, by combining it with tansies, Kochia Childsii, or small grasses that will temper its colour. The French marigold is edible, and its petals can be added to summer salads to enhance their flavour and colour.

The French marigold is also a medicinal plant from which an essential oil is extracted. The fragrance of the foliage and the substances secreted by its roots repel certain insects harmful to crops, particularly nematodes, which is why these plants are often planted among vegetables in the vegetable garden.

Note: Please be aware that our young plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant and store them under cover (veranda, greenhouse, frame...) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before being installed outdoors once the risk of frost has definitively passed.