Do all marigolds smell like 'marigolds'?

17 years ago

I planted all different varieties of marigold seeds to fill a bed....and was so excited to find that I had seedlings everywhere! and they grew, and grew, and the bed is full...but no buds or flowers. Upon a very close inspection (and my mother-in-law said to smell the plants), I think they are weeds! These "weeds" are also growing in other areas where I didn't plant marigolds. I did find much smaller seedlings that DO smell like marigolds....just not nearly as many.

So, before I weed this weekend, do all marigolds smell like "marigolds"? I'd hate to weed them and find that they were just a different variety. They look just like the greens of marigolds that I bought to put in my window boxes...only taller.

Thanks! LC Grace

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

lindac
17 years ago
Yes.....all marigold's foliage smells like "marigold"...
hoe_hoe_hoe
17 years ago
If you think about it most things do smell like themselves unless they are dowsed with a masking odor. LOL.

Congratulations on your crop!
Related Discussions
Do marigolds deter aphids?
Q
Comments (21)
Anecdotal evidence. Why do some folks have so much trouble accepting it? Isn't that where discovery and progress begin? If a cancer pill came out that claimed to kill 75% of tumors should that pill be rejected because it failed in 25% of cases. If a "cure" for baldness was discovered that helped 80 folks out of 100 should that cure be abandoned because 20 people weren't helped? If scientific proof is the only thing to guide us in our decision-making, all we have to do is reflect on how many "truths" have fallen throughout the history of the world. Remember when the world was flat? And the sun revolved around the Earth? I'll say it once again, a little more emphatically this time for the naysayers. I've been gardening for thirty years. I remember the times when my tomato plants and everything else were infested with aphids. INFESTED. I remember when my kitchen sink was littered with aphids as I rinsed the lettuce over and over again. I was reluctant to give some to the neighbors, thinking they would probably throw it away. No more! Two rinses is all they need now, just to get rid of some dirt. I haven't seen a single aphid YET this year. And the tomato plants are coming along, clean as a whistle. That's all the science this guy needs. One further note (very important). I start my marigolds indoors in early February so that I will have established potted plants by early April when the first lettuce plants are going into the ground. This way the marigolds are in early bloom long before aphid arrival time. By late April, when lettuce is being picked and mid-May, when the tomatoes are making their move in my zone 7, the marigolds are in full bloom, lending great color to the garden and doing their thing, which is to deter aphids. Try it; you'll like it.
...See More
Do verbena seedlings look like marigolds?
Q
Comments (1)
As a matter of fact they do! Well at least the Verbena bonariensis look like Marigolds to me when they are in the first true-leaf stage LOL! Vera
...See More
zinnias/marigolds like windows?
Q
Comments (3)
Gardengurl, The rounded leaved seedlings are zinnias. The sharper leaved seedlings would be your marigold. Have you had your last frost for the season? Zinnias cannot tolerate any amount of cold. We grows thousands every year for market, and, recently lost 75 trays in our heated greenhouse. Our temperatures dropped into the low 20s, and the seedlings must have been exposed to a draft close to the door. That's all we could figure. So, we toss them and move on. The seedlings grow rapidly thank goodness. Our last frost date here in Michigan is May 15. We will have seedlings ready for the field by that date. It's best to plant the seedlings outside when they are about 1 1/2" in height. They make the adjustment to the field or garden conditions better at this height. Zinnias growing inside on windowseals tend to get leggy which can stunt their growth. This is just their very nature. You will want to move them outside for a few hours each day for a few days so they can get acclimated to their new environment. Then, you can go ahead and plant them outside. Next time you may want to direct seed some zinnias and marigolds in your garden. By doing that, you would have stronger, healthier plants. Good luck with your growing. flowerfarmer
...See More
Do yellow marigolds attract SVB ??
Q
Comments (4)
Well first the color yellow is not what attracts the SVB, I have had many squash plants killed off by SVB long before they ever flowered. Second I have heard in many locations that marigolds are a companion plant for squash (I often have marigolds with my squash). Supposedly the marigolds help repel bugs and nematodes. Though honestly I haven't noticed any difference with or without marigolds (but I never have problems with bugs or nematodes either). In any case marigolds don't attract the SVB. Leave them in I am sure they look nice.
...See More
mmqchdygg
17 years ago
I know exactly which weed you're talking about, and if I am correct in this assumption, the coloring is 'greener' than a marigold, which tends to be a forest-green foliage. I've had to 'watch my step' with these, too, but yeah, a marigold has that very distinct odor.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
17 years ago
No - just the ones that smell like marigolds do.

Al
Lcgrace Mahoney
Original Author
17 years ago
Well...it looks like I'll be weeding this weekend! The Marigolds smell like Marigolds and these weeds smell like weeds.

Thanks for your wisdom! Busy, Busy, Busy!
pam_whitbyon
17 years ago
Wait, Grace!

Could they possibly be English Marigolds? Also known as Pot Marigolds or Calendula? They seed like crazy and grow really fast in almost any condition. They're not related to the other marigolds at all, and don't smell like them either...

Here is a link that might be useful: Pot Marigolds
oldroser
17 years ago
More likely to be wild artemisia - what a pest!
erica_z4
17 years ago
I just bought some marigolds, 'Sunburst yellow red', that hardly smell of marigold at all. The blooms have a faint sweet smell. The foliage smells very faintly but only when I crush it and bring it right under my nose.
rusty_blackhaw
17 years ago
Some varieties of marigolds have been bred to have "scentless" (or relatively so) foliage. Unless you've bought one of these special types, the seedlings should have that distinctive odor when the foliage is crushed, so check it out when thinning the plants.

There is one type of weed that when small has foliage somewhat resembling that of marigolds (and it's a very prolific reseeder). The stems of the weed are thinner and the foliage less congested, however.
Lcgrace Mahoney
Original Author
17 years ago
The seeds that I planted weren't calendula :(....different varieties and heights of marigolds. I think everyone must know about my "weed"! It's growing taller every day and looking less compact and less like a marigold. It's between 6"-8" tall just from the rain over nite.

Once these weeds are gone, the sunshine can get to the real marigolds underneath. It will also look much more organized and less "weedy" when they start to fill in.

Thanks again for your help! LC Grace.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
I wish you could post a picture. We could identify it for you.

Do all marigolds smell like 'marigolds'?

Comments (11)

lindac

hoe_hoe_hoe

Related Discussions

mmqchdygg

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

Lcgrace Mahoney
Original Author

pam_whitbyon

oldroser

erica_z4

rusty_blackhaw

Lcgrace Mahoney
Original Author

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Do all marigolds smell like 'marigolds'?

Comments (11)

Related Discussions

Lcgrace MahoneyOriginal Author

Lcgrace MahoneyOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Lcgrace Mahoney
Original Author

Lcgrace Mahoney
Original Author