Tagetes patula explained

Tagetes patula, the French marigold, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Mexico and Guatemala[1] with several naturalised populations in many other countries. It is widely cultivated as an easily grown bedding plant, with thousands of different cultivars in brilliant shades of yellow and orange.

Some authorities regard Tagetes patula as a synonym of Tagetes erecta, the Mexican marigold.[2]

Name

The Latin specific epithet patula means “with a spreading habit”.[3]

Description

Tagetes patula is an annual, occasionally reaching 0.51NaN1 tall by 0.31NaN1 wide. In some climates it flowers from July to October. In its native habitat of the highlands of central Mexico, 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 (having both male and female organs) florets and are pollinated primarily by beetles in the wild, as well as by tachinid flies and other insects. The leaves of all species of marigold include oil glands. The oils are pungent.[4] It can grow in both sandy and clay soils provided they have good drainage. It requires full sun to partial shade.[5]

Cultivation

This plant is valued for its velvet-textured, brightly coloured blooms in shades of yellow, orange and russet in summer. It is shorter, and has a more spreading habit, than its relative the Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta). It is therefore more suitable as an edging plant in the open border.[6]

Moreau et al 2006 attempted to protect Solanum tuberosum (potato) against Leptinotarsa decemlineata (potato beetle) by intercropping with T. patula but instead found it acting as an attractant, resulting in greater infestation and lower yields. (They also found the same for another purported repellent, Armoracia rusticana.)[7] [8]

Tagetes patula is frost intolerant, given a Royal Horticultural Society hardiness rating of H2, capable of surviving temperatures of 1- but killed by freezing temperatures.[9] They are grown by gardeners in moderately fertile, but well-drained soil in full sun with evenly moist conditions.[10]

Cultivars

Hundreds of cultivars have been developed, of which the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[11]

Other uses

Medicinal

Medicinally, many cultures use infusions from dried leaves or florets.[4] Research also suggests that T. patula essential oil has the ability to be used as residual pesticide against bedbugs.[29]

The essential oil is being investigated for antifungal activity, including treatment of candidiasis[30] and treating fungal infections in plants.[31] [32]

Culinary

The dried and ground flower petals constitute a popular spice in the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus, where they are known as imeruli shaphrani (= 'Imeretian Saffron') from their pungency and golden colour and particular popularity in the Western province of Imereti. The spice imparts a unique, rather earthy flavour to Georgian cuisine, in which it is considered especially compatible with the flavours of cinnamon and cloves. It is also an essential ingredient in the spice mixture khmeli suneli, which is to Georgian cookery what garam masala is to the cookery of North India - with which Georgia shares elements of the Mughlai cuisine.[33]

Colouring

Tagetes patula florets are grown and harvested annually to add to poultry feed to help give the yolks a golden color. The florets can also be used to color human foods.[4] A golden yellow dye is used to color animal-based textiles (wool, silk) without a mordant, but a mordant is needed for cotton and synthetic textiles.[4]

Fragrance

The whole plant is harvested when in flower and distilled for its essential oil. The oil is used in perfumery. It is blended with sandalwood oil to produce 'attar genda' perfume. About 35kg (77lb) of oil can be extracted from of the plant yielding 2500kg (5,500lb) of flowers and 25000kg (55,000lb) of herbage.

Notes and References

  1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28762240#page/82/mode/1up Rydberg, Per Axel 1913. in Britton, Nathaniel Lord, North American Flora 34: 154-155
  2. Web site: Tagetes patula . The Plant List . 1 December 2018.
  3. Book: Harrison, Lorraine . RHS Latin for Gardeners . 2012 . Mitchell Beazley . United Kingdom . 978-1845337315 .
  4. Soule, J. A. 1993. "The Biosystematics of Tagetes" Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Texas
  5. Web site: Tagetes patula (French Marigold) North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox . 2022-03-18 . plants.ces.ncsu.edu.
  6. Book: Brickell . Christopher . The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants . 2008 . 1021 . Dorling Kindersley . United Kingdom . 9781405332965.
  7. Parolin . Pia . Bresch . Cécile . Desneux . Nicolas . Brun . Richard . Bout . Alexandre . Boll . Roger . Poncet . Christine . Secondary plants used in biological control: A review . . . 58 . 2 . 2012 . 0967-0874 . 10.1080/09670874.2012.659229 . 91–100. 85314072 .
  8. Webster . Ben . Cardé . Ring T. . Use of habitat odour by host-seeking insects . . Cambridge Philosophical Society (Wiley) . 92 . 2 . 2016-05-04 . 1464-7931 . 10.1111/brv.12281 . 1241–1249. 27145528 . 207102508 .
  9. Web site: Tagetes patula - French marigold . RHS Gardening . Royal Horticultural Society . 25 April 2023 . en-gb.
  10. Web site: MBG . Tagetes patula . Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder . Missouri Botanical Garden . 25 April 2023 . St. Louis, MO.
  11. Web site: AGM Plants - Ornamental . July 2017 . 100 . Royal Horticultural Society . 1 December 2018.
  12. Web site: Tagetes patula 'Bonanza Flame' (Bonanza Series) . RHS . 5 March 2021.
  13. Web site: Tagetes patula Bonanza Series . RHS . 5 March 2021.
  14. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Dainty Marietta' . 1 December 2018.
  15. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Disco Orange' . 1 December 2018.
  16. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Disco Yellow' . 1 December 2018.
  17. Web site: Tagetes patula 'Fireball' . RHS . 5 March 2021.
  18. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Hero Orange' . 1 December 2018.
  19. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Honeycomb' . 1 December 2018.
  20. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Queen Sophia' . 1 December 2018.
  21. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Safari Mixture' . 1 December 2018.
  22. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Safari Scarlet' . 1 December 2018.
  23. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Safari Tangerine' . 1 December 2018.
  24. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Tiger Eyes' . 1 December 2018.
  25. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Tagetes patula 'Yellow Jacket' . 1 December 2018.
  26. Web site: Tagetes 'Zenith Golden Yellow' (Zenith Series) . RHS . 5 March 2021.
  27. Web site: Tagetes 'Zenith Lemon Yellow' (Zenith Series) . RHS . 5 March 2021.
  28. Web site: Tagetes patula 'Zenith Yellow' (Zenith Series) . RHS . 5 March 2021.
  29. 10.1007/s00436-016-5305-x . 27838836 . Insecticidal activity of an essential oil of Tagetes patula L. (Asteraceae) on common bed bug Cimex lectularius L. And molecular docking of major compounds at the catalytic site of ClAChE1 . Parasitology Research . 116 . 1 . 415–424 . 2016 . Politi . Flávio Augusto Sanches . Nascimento . Juliana Damieli . Da Silva . Alexander Alves . Moro . Isabela Jacob . Garcia . Mariana Lopes . Guido . Rafael Victório Carvalho . Pietro . Rosemeire Cristina Linhari Rodrigue . Godinho . Antônio Francisco . Furlan . Maysa . 11449/173767 . 24672255 . free .
  30. 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2006.01332.x . Mycoses . 50 . 2 . March 2007 . 121–124 . Anticandidial activity of some essential oils of a mega biodiversity hotspot in India . B. K. Dutta . S. Karmakar . A. Naglot. J. C. Aich . M. Begam . amp . 17305775. 19565277 .
  31. Microbiol. Res. . 2004 . 159 . 3 . 295–304 . Mares D, Tosi B, Poli F, Andreotti E, Romagnoli C . Antifungal activity of Tagetes patula extracts on some phytopathogenic fungi: ultrastructural evidence on Pythium ultimum . 15462529 . 10.1016/j.micres.2004.06.001. free . 11380/310598 . free .
  32. Chemical characterization and antifungal activity of essential oil of capitula from wild Indian Tagetes patula L . C. Romagnoli . R. Bruni . E. Andreotti. M. K. Rai . C. B. Vicentini . D. Mares . amp . Protoplasma . 225 . 1–2 . April 2005 . 10.1007/s00709-005-0084-8 . 57–65 . 15868213. 34734081 .
  33. Goldstein D. 1993 "The Georgian Feast" HarperCollins

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