French marigold

Tagetes patula, the French marigold, is a species in the daisy family. It is native to México and Guatemala with several naturalized populations in many other countries.

The flower is an annual, occasionally reaching 0.5m by 0.3m. In some climates, it flowers from July to October. In its native habitat of the highlands of central México, blooms are produced from September to killing frost. Achenes ripen and are shed within two weeks of the start of bloom. The heads contain mostly hermaphrodite florets and are pollinated primarily by beetles in the wild, as well as by flies and other insects. The leaves of all species of marigold include oil glands. The oils are pungent.