Botanical Name and Pronunciation: Tagetes patula (ta-GAY-teez
PAT-ew-la) yellow, orange, bicolored Form and Size: The hollow
and leafy stems of French marigold are 12 – 18 inches long with
round flowers at the ends that have a 2 inch diameter. up to 7
days Remove any leaves at the bottom of the stem, cut under
water and place in fresh water with flower food. History and
Usage: A member of the Compositae (aster) family, French
marigold originated in Mexico and Central America. Its botanical
name, Tagetes patula, comes from an Etruscan deity, Tages. He
was the grandson of Jupiter and sprang from the ploughed earth.
Points of Interest: Relatives of French marigold include
calendula, cosmos, dahlia and zinnia. It is the sister plant of
the African marigold. The foliage of the French marigold exudes
a nice fragrance.