FlowerMarigold
Taishan Series African Marigold
Taishan Series African Marigolds are hybrid flowers bred for resilience and compact, abundant blooms. Hardy from zones 3 to 11, these bushy annuals reach just 10-12 inches tall and flower reliably in 70-79 days, making them quick performers in the garden. Each plant produces semi-double blooms measuring 3-4 inches across, with sturdy, thickened stems engineered to resist breakage and stress. They thrive in full sun and handle heat, drought, and poor soils without complaint, earning their reputation as trouble-free garden workhorses.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Moderately Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
TypeBush
Spacing
12
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-11
Size
?in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Taishan Series delivers the drama of African marigolds in a compact, disease-tolerant package with 20% shorter flower stems and 15% thicker stems than standard varieties. The engineering behind this hybrid shows in the plant's branching structure, which stays healthy and productive even under stress. Those semi-double blooms open early and keep coming in profusion, creating dense, mounding plants that ask very little of the gardener yet give generously in return.
Common Uses
Taishan Series marigolds excel as garden accent plants and potted specimens. Their compact mounding habit and abundant semi-double blooms make them ideal for borders, containers, and cutting gardens, where their sturdy stems hold up well when picked for indoor arrangements.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start Taishan Series seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost at soil temperatures of 70-75°F. Seeds germinate quickly and produce transplant-ready seedlings within 2-3 weeks.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days before transplanting outdoors after the last frost date. Space plants 12 inches apart in full sun once soil temperature reaches 60°F or warmer.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last frost date in full sun, pressing them lightly into warm soil without covering, as light aids germination.
Pruning
Pinch back seedlings when they reach 3-4 inches tall to encourage branching and a denser, bushier form. Deadhead spent blooms regularly throughout the season to redirect energy into continuous flowering rather than seed production.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Scientific Classification
Tagetes erecta
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Tagetes
Growth Habit
Bush
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)