FlowerMarigold
Sparky Mixture French Marigold
Sparky Mixture French Marigold brings the boldest color and quickest blooms to any sunny garden. These compact plants reach just 10-12 inches tall and flower in 50-59 days, making them among the fastest-blooming marigolds available. The semi-doubled flower heads emerge in a vibrant mix of colors, offering one of the most inexpensive yet visually striking options for home gardeners. Hardy from zones 3-11, they thrive in full sun and spread readily across beds and borders, opening within weeks of planting.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Moderately Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
12 in
Height
TypeSpreading
Spacing
6
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-11
Size
12in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Sparky Mixture delivers exceptional speed and color abundance in a genuinely low-maintenance package. The semi-doubled flower form sets it apart from standard single-petaled marigolds, creating a fuller, more ornamental bloom that develops quickly and reliably. Open-pollinated and non-GMO, these seeds cost far less than many alternatives while performing just as vigorously. Novice gardeners and children gravitate to this variety because it rarely disappoints, germinates readily, and flowers prolifically without fussy care or constant deadheading.
Common Uses
Sparky Mixture shines as a mounding bedding plant for sunny borders, containers, and edging. The compact 10-12 inch height makes it excellent for front-of-border displays where you want continuous color without towering stems. Home gardeners plant it in clusters to create bold sweeps of mixed color, and its low-maintenance nature suits both cottage gardens and formal beds.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. Sow at 70-75°F (21-24°C) and keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged until germination occurs. Transplant seedlings into individual pots once they develop true leaves.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days. Transplant outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed, spacing plants 6 inches apart. Water well at transplant time and establish consistent moisture for the first 2-3 weeks.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last frost date and when soil temperature reaches 70°F (21°C). Press seeds onto the soil surface; they require light to germinate. Keep soil moist until seedlings emerge.
Pruning
Deadheading spent flowers throughout the season encourages denser blooming and extends flowering until frost. However, Sparky Mixture's mounding habit naturally produces so many flowers that light deadheading often suffices. Pinching back young plants when they reach 4-6 inches tall promotes bushier growth and more flower heads.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Scientific Classification
Tagetes patula
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Tagetes
Growth Habit
Spreading
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)