Hawai'i Marigold

Marigolds originated in Mexico in the early 1500’s, where they were first documented in ritual ceremony by the Aztecs for religious and medicinal purposes. Believed to treat unfortunate situations, such as: hiccups, being struck by lightning, and the sudden necessity to safely cross fast-moving water, the golden flowered plant became a coveted seed by the Spanish, who called the plant “Mary’s Gold” and decorated their altars with the bright orange flowers. Marigolds, being the magical work horses they are, quickly took root throughout Spain, France, Africa, and reached into Hindu religious ceremonies adorning village gods during harvest festivals. Shortly after the Revolutionary War, marigolds made their way to America where Burpee introduced traditional American breeding into the plant in 1915.
 
The Hawaii marigold is a French type, renowned for it’s ability to support the garden as a natural form of pest control. This varieties is known to exude a potent substance called thiophene through it's roots and leaves. Thiophene is not a friend to the root knot nematode (a recurring pest in Hawaiian soils) which tend to move away from marigold roots. 
 
Marigolds are an excellent choice for containers or borders in the garden, growing up to 2' in height. They are drought tolerant once established and will bloom for an extra long season. Flowers petals are edible and make a gorgeous addition to fresh garden salads. Try feeding flowers to chickens to encourage a bright orange yolk. 
 
Planting: Start in the nursery, and only very lightly cover seeds for good germination. Seeds will sprout within 7-10 days, keep moist and transplant into the garden within 2-4 weeks. 
 
Depth: Surface, lightly covered
Spacing: 12-18"
Full sun to partial shade
30 seeds per packet