Marigolds are so much more than a pretty bloom
AS THE marigold has been named 2018’s plant of the year by Fleuroselect, the international organisation for ornamental plants, HANNAH STEPHENSON, unearths five things you might not know about this brightly coloured stunner.
Available in golden hues from pale yellow to dark red they flower from spring until the first frost. Not to be confused with the calendula or ‘common marigold’, the marigold, or tagetes, originates from central America.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is to trial more than 140 varieties at RHS Garden Wisley this year to explore how it might be used in gardens.
KEEPING GARDENS HEALTHY The Mexican marigold (Tagetes minuta) is sometimes used to try to control root knot nematodes that can lead to stunted growth. French marigold (Tagetes patula) and golden marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia) cultivars, are often planted alongside tomato plants, possibly repelling whitefly.
AS CHICKEN FEED Marigold petals have long been used to make egg yolks more vivid, because of their high levels of xanthophylls that result in yellow pigment. Chickens are also reported to love the tasty garden treat.
IN THE KITCHEN Some marigolds – French marigold (Tagetes patula) and golden marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia) – can be eaten, but it’s best to only eat plants sold for this purpose. Because of their fresh, citrus taste, marigolds petals are sometimes added sparingly to salads or appear for decorative effect on desserts. In the Americas, marigolds also come as a dried herb substitute for tarragon.
TO WARD OFF PESTS Tagetes essential oil has a sweet and fruity odour that is thought to repel several parasitic insects that can prove pesky to humans, including mosquitoes, fleas, bed bugs, and lice.
AS A SKIN SOOTHER Because tagetes essential oil is considered to have anti-microbial and antibiotic properties, it is often used as a treatment for minor open wounds, sores, cuts and ulcerated skin.