Hawaii Marigold
Tagetes erecta
The first time I saw the large orange Hawai'i marigold I was hooked! This marigold is widely thought to be one of the most beautiful and striking of the African Marigolds. It's tall, bushy, upright habit (3+feet!) holds large orange/golden marigold flowers with striking bluish-green foliage.
These beautiful flowers are rich in antioxidant beta carotene making them a top choice for creating natural dyes for fabric, adding petals to salads, or decorating a plate. One of my favorite uses is for a giant orange marigold lei, the kind you see adorning the deities in Indian Festivals, or you could string them into a garland for a festive ceremony. Add dried flower petals to your chicken feed to deepen and enhance the orange yolk color and nutritional value. Lastly, use them as a cut flower in your arrangements!
Marigolds repel certain pests and can also be used in teas, pesto, or to attract pollinators!
Hawai'i Marigolds are easy to grow and once you have these varieties in your garden, you can easily save seed for the next planting. Seeds can be planted any time of year in Hawai'i. A MUST for any home garden.
Cultivation:
Full sun
Depth: 1/4 - 1/2"
Spacing: 2-3 feet
Days to Bloom: 70-90 days
Hawaii marigolds appreciate staking, as plants tend to get taller and have heavy side shoots of flowers.
Best to start seeds in small pots, bring up and transplant into the garden. Seeds can also be direct seeded, if you can keep soil moist and provide bird and snail protection.
30 seeds per packet
Seeds grown on Kawanui Farm, Kona.