Facts about Marigold Flower: Types, Uses, Benefits and Ecological Significance

Marigold is one of the most beautiful flowers found widely in the world. It is widely grown across different parts of the world in gardens, farms and homes. There are 30 known species of marigold growing across different continents. These vivid orange and yellow blossoms give joy to the surroundings wherever they grow and have important ecological, cultural, medicinal and agricultural uses. In this article, we will learn various facts about marigolds including its appearance, body parts and uses.

Table of Contents

• What is a Marigold Flower
• Uses of Marigold Flowers
• Types of Marigold Flowers

What is a Marigold Flower

Marigold is a flowering plant that belongs to the biggest plant families on earth called Asteraceae also known as the daisy family. The marigold flowers refer to two different genera of flowers that share the same characteristics: tagetes and calendula. Tagetes is commonly known as Mexican or French marigold and calendula is flowers commonly known as pot marigold or English marigold. Both of these species are grown in gardens worldwide and are a useful natural pest deterrent in agriculture. 

Uses of Marigold Flowers

Marigold flowers are among the most adaptive and widely grown plants across the continents. They are not only attractive but are useful in many different ways. They have a special place in farms, temples, kitchens and medicine. Let’s learn about the uses of marigold flower:

Decoration: Marigold flowers are widely used in flower arrangements, temple offerings, ornamentation, rangoli during weddings and festivals like Diwali.

Medicinal use: Marigold has anti-inflammatory, antifungal and wound-healing properties and have been used in medicines for over 400 years. 

Pest Control: It is one of the most preferred organic pest repellents used in organic farms. The roots of marigold secrete a chemical compound called alpha-terthienyl that has strong fumes and helps in keeping pests away in organic food gardens.

Types of Marigold Flowers

African Marigold: It is native to Mexico and is the tallest of the common marigolds, growing up to 90 to 120 cm in height and produces large, rounded, fully double flower heads (7 to 12 cm) across in shades of yellow, orange and gold. It is widely grown as an ornamental and is the primary species used in the Indian flower trade.

French Marigold: These are among the most widely planted companion plants in organic horticulture. French marigold grows 15-40 cm tall and produces smaller, more delicate flowers in mixed shades of orange, yellow and red, often with bi-coloured petals.

Pod Marigold: With a long history as a medicinal and culinary herb in European tradition. Its flowers are edible, with a mildly spicy, slightly bitter flavour and have been used to colour butter and cheese and as a saffron substitute. Calendula is the source of calendula oil, widely used in skincare and cosmetics for its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. It grows 30 to 60 cm tall and produces single or double daisy-like flowers in vivid orange and yellow.

Signet Marigold: It is smaller and more delicate than other Tagetes species, with fine, lacy foliage and numerous small single flowers. It has a pleasant citrus-lemon scent and its flowers are fully edible, used as garnishes in salads and desserts. It is particularly attractive to pollinators and is a popular choice for edible flower gardens and container planting.