Marigold Profile

Marigold is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Marigold of the Compositae family. Leaves are pinnately divided; there are a few glands along the leaf margin. The head-shaped flower is solitary; the involucre is cup-shaped and the tip is toothed; the tongue-shaped flower is yellow or dark orange; the tubular flower has a yellow corolla. The achene is linear, with a narrow base, black or brown, with short micro hairs; the crest has 1-2 long awns and 2-3 short and blunt scales. The flowering period of marigolds is from July to September.

Marigold is native to Mexico. It is distributed all over China. It can grow in areas from 1150 meters to 1480 meters above sea level, mostly in roadside meadows. Marigolds are often sown in spring. Because of their large flowers and long flowering period, they are often used in flowerbeds.

Marigold morphological characteristics

Marigold is an annual herb, 50-150 cm high. Stems erect, stout, with long and thin strips, The branches spread upward. The leaves are pinnately divided, 5-10 cm long and 4-8 cm wide. The lobes are long elliptical or lanceolate, with sharp serrations at the edge, and long awns on the tooth end of the upper leaf lobes; there are a few glands along the leaf margin. The head-shaped inflorescence is solitary, 5-8 cm in diameter, and the top of the peduncle is swollen; the involucre of marigold is 1.8-2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide, cup-shaped, and the tip is pointed; the tongue-shaped flower of marigold Is yellow or dark orange; 2.9 cm long, obovate tongue, 1.4 cm long, 1.2 cm wide, the base is contracted to grow claws, and the top is slightly curved; the tubular flower corolla is yellow, about 9 mm long, with 5 lobes at the top.

Marigold growth habit and growing environment and distribution

The suitable temperature for marigold growth is 15-25℃, and the suitable temperature for the flowering period is 18-20℃. The relative air temperature of the growth environment is required to be 60-70%, and the temperature in winter is not lower than 5℃. In summer, the high temperature is above 30℃, the plants are long, the stems and leaves are loose, and the flowers are few. Below 10°C, growth slows down. Marigolds are light-loving plants. Adequate sunlight is very beneficial to the growth of marigolds. The plants are short and sturdy and the flowers are gorgeous. If there is insufficient sunlight, the stems and leaves will become soft and slender, with few and small blooms. Marigolds do not have strict requirements on the soil, preferably fertile, well-drained sandy loam. Marigold is native to Mexico and Central America. Cultivated all over China. Naturalized in Guangdong and southern Yunnan, southeast, and southwestern Henan

Marigold efficacy and role

Ornamental value

Marigold is a common landscaping flower with large flowers and a long flowering period.
Marigolds are used to decorate flower beds, squares, arrange flower bushes, flower borders, and cultivate flower hedges. Medium and dwarf varieties are suitable for flower beds, flower diameters, flower bushes, and potted plants; varieties with higher plants can be used as background materials or cut flowers.

Edible value

Marigold flowers are edible. It is a famous dish in flower recipes. The fresh marigold petals are washed and dried, then wrapped in flour and deep-fried. The aroma will be mouth-watering, just like stinky tofu. It smells very stinky. After frying It's fragrant and delicious.

Environmental value

Marigold plants have strong resistance and absorption to gases such as hydrogen fluoride and sulfur dioxide, and can also attract nematodes in the soil.

Marigold cultivation

Sowing

Spring Sowing: You’d better sow in open seedbeds from late March to early April. Since the seeds are too light, they must be covered with soil and watered after sowing. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 20-25℃. The seedling emerges one week after sowing, and the germination rate is about 50%. When the seedling grows to a height of 5 cm, transplant it once, and then colonize it when the seedling grows 7-8 true leaves.
Summer sowing: In order to control the height of the plant, you can also sow in summer, and it can bloom 60 days after the seedling is sowed in summer.

Cuttings

Marigold can be used for cutting in summer, it is easy to root and grow seedlings quickly. Cut 8-12 cm twigs from the mother plant as cuttings, remove the lower leaves, and insert them into the potting soil. Insert 3 plants in each pot. After the cuttings, water them with plenty of shade, and they can take roots after 2 weeks. Then, gradually move to a sunny place for daily management, and it will bloom in about 1 month.
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