Tagetes patula
Origin: Mexico/Guatemala
Improvement status: Cultivar
Seeds per packet: ~50
Germination tested 01/2026: 94%
Life cycle: Annual
'Queen Sophia' is a popular form of the Mexican/Guatemalan species commonly known as "French Marigold." This dwarf cultivar, with its large (2.5-3") flowers with deep orange-red petals rimmed with golden yellow, reaches about a foot tall. 'Queen Sophia' has supposedly been popular since the early 1900s, though likely under another name, as it's said to be named for the Spanish queen Sofia, who only came to the throne in 1975. This variety was an All-America Selection in 1978. The species is a good pest-deterring marigold species.
GROWING TIPS: Can be direct-seeded after last frost, but more reliable if started 1 to 2 months earlier in flats. Plants want at leas 6 hours of sun each day.
