Tagetes patula Milli Vanilli | French Marigold

Tagetes patula Milli Vanilli | French Marigold 

Uniform, early-flowering beauty with bold color and unbeatable heat tolerance.
‘Milli Vanilli’ is a compact and reliable French Marigold variety producing large, semi-double anemone-type blooms in vivid, eye-catching tones. Its intense color and tidy habit make it an excellent choice for pots, containers, mixed planters, and borders.

This open-pollinated annual blooms quickly — ready in just 7–10 weeks — and performs beautifully through summer heat. A true garden performer and florist favorite for its cheerful texture and nonstop bloom power.

Plant Features

• Botanical name: Tagetes patula ‘Milli Vanilli’
• Common name: French Marigold
• Plant type: Annual
• Hybrid status: Open pollinated
• Bloom time: Early and uniform
• Flower form: Large, semi-double anemone type
• Color: Intense, vibrant tones – a true garden eye-catcher
• Height: Approx. 18 cm (7″)
• Spread: Approx. 18 cm (7″)
• Exposure: Full sun
• Days to maturity: ~50 days

Growing Information

Sowing & Germination:

• Sow indoors: 4–6 weeks before planting out.
• Germination time: 4–7 days at 24–27 °C (75–80 °F).
• Cover lightly: Seeds need light but benefit from a thin soil layer.
• Transplant: Once seedlings have true leaves and frost danger has passed.

Direct sowing: Sow 0.5 cm (¼″) deep once soil is warm.

Light preference: Full sun.
Soil: Average, well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.5.
Spacing: 20–30 cm (8–12″) apart.
Days to bloom: Around 7–10 weeks from sowing.
Feeding: Moderate feeding with a calcium-based fertilizer (14-4-14, 15-5-15, or 17-5-17). Avoid excessive ammonium to prevent oversized leaves.

Temperature guide:

• Germination: 22–24 °C (72–76 °F)
• Growing on: 17–20 °C (62–68 °F) for compact, strong plants.

Tips for Best Results

• Pinch young plants to encourage branching.
• Deadhead regularly for continuous blooming.
• Avoid overwatering; marigolds prefer drier, sunny conditions.
• Ideal for pots, packs, containers, landscapes, and mixed summer displays.

Why Grow ‘Milli Vanilli’

‘Milli Vanilli’ stands out with its combination of intense color, compact growth, and heat endurance. It thrives in sunny spots and adds a long season of vivid, cheerful blooms to borders, patios, and planters. Easy to grow and floriferous — a true highlight of any summer display.

.