Mexican tarragon
Tagetes lucida · Asteraceae
📷 manfred.sause@volloeko.de · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Mexican tarragon is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Scientific name
- Tagetes lucida
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Foliage
- Deciduous, aromatic
- Flowering
- August to October, golden yellow flowers
- Mature size
- Approximately 80 cm in height
- Growth
- Fast
- Hardiness
- Tender, grow as an annual or bring indoors before winter
- Origin
- Mexico
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Tagetes lucida fears the cold (5°C is the limit). In cold regions, sow in March under glass, transplant in April–May only after the last frost in mid-May.
The common mistake
Planting it in April like a tender annual: a late frost can completely weaken it.
The pro's trick
Harvest the flowers and leaves in September before the frosts, dry them: they'll keep their aroma for 6 months.
Seasonal watch
August–September: it needs very little water at the end of the season, even in dry weather.
Care
Light
Place your shiny marigold in full sun, ideally 6 to 8 hours of direct light per day. It will flower more abundantly and develop a better golden hue in sunny exposure. Avoid overly shaded areas where growth would become leggy and flowering would be reduced.
Watering
Water regularly to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, particularly during the growing and flowering periods. Let the soil surface dry slightly between waterings. Reduce watering in winter if you keep the plant indoors.
Soil
Use well-draining soil rich in organic matter. A mixture of quality potting soil with a little sand improves drainage. The shiny marigold dreads waterlogged soils that promote root rot.
Fertilizing
Apply balanced fertilizer every 15 to 20 days during flowering to support flower production. Moderate feeding is sufficient; excess nitrogen may promote foliage at the expense of flowering.
Pruning and cutting
Pinch the tips of young plants in spring to encourage branching and a compact shape. Regularly remove spent flowers to extend flowering. Light pruning in late summer rejuvenates the plant.
Diseases and pests
The shiny marigold is generally robust. Watch for spider mites in dry conditions and aphids in warm climates. Excess humidity can promote mildew; ensure good air circulation around the plant.
Did you know?
The shiny marigold is traditionally used in Mexico under the name of 'scented epazote' to flavor dishes. Beyond its culinary qualities, it has a rich history of use in rituals and traditional Mesoamerican medicine, long before the arrival of Europeans.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
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- Canadian goldenrodSolidago canadensis
- WormwoodArtemisia absinthium
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.