Tagetes
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| Tagetes | ||||||||||||
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 French Marigold | ||||||||||||
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About 50, including: |
Tagetes is a genus of about 50 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). They are native to the area stretching from Mexico south to northern South America.
They are known in English variously as Mexican marigolds (the most accurate name, fairly closely describing the region of origin of most of the species), African marigolds (one species is native to Africa), or French marigolds (perhaps the most widely used name, though they are not native to France).
The different species vary in size from 0.3-1.5 m tall. They have pinnate green leaves, and orange, yellow, or red floral heads typically 4-6 cm diameter, with both ray florets and disc florets.
They have a pungent smell, though some later varieties have been bred to be scentless. It is said to deter some common insect pests, as well as nematodes. Tagetes are hence often used in companion planting.
See also marigold for other plants with this name.Template:Plant-stub