Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  African Marigold

Group/Class:  Big Top™ Series

Brand:  Syngenta

Description:

A stunning multi-branched variety ideal for patio containers, beds and borders; large, fully doubled blooms rise above fern-like foliage on tall, sturdy stems; weather tolerant and easy to grow; deadhead to encourage new blooms throughout the season

Ornamental Features

Big Top™ Orange Marigold features bold orange ball-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from early summer to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its fragrant ferny leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Big Top™ Orange Marigold is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Big Top™ Orange Marigold is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Big Top™ Orange Marigold will grow to be about 20 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Big Top™ Orange Marigold is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.