Photo: Reinhold Möller Ermell / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Marigold (Genda) (Tagetes erecta): Cheerful orange-yellow flower used in Ayurveda for wound healing, skin care, and as a natural pesticide.
🔍 Quick Facts
| Common name | Marigold (Genda) |
| Other names | Genda, Gendha (Hindi); Saamanthi (Tamil); Banti (Telugu) |
| Scientific name | Tagetes erecta |
| Plant family | Asteraceae (daisy family) |
| Size | 30–100 cm annual |
| Native region | Mexico |
| Climate | Tropical/Temperate |
| Ease of growing | Easy |
| Parts used | Flowers, Leaves |
About Marigold
Marigold garlands are a fixture of Indian weddings, Diwali and temple offerings, and India grows marigold on a huge scale for flowers and for lutein, the eye-health pigment extracted from the petals. African marigold (Tagetes erecta) has large ball-shaped flowers; French marigold (T. patula) is smaller. Marigold roots release compounds that suppress soil nematodes, which is why it is planted as a companion crop around vegetables. (Medicinal "calendula" is a different plant, Calendula officinalis.)
Botanically known as Tagetes erecta, it belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is native to Mexico and grows best in a tropical/temperate climate. The parts most often used are the flowers and leaves.
Uses in the Garden & Tradition
Marigold is best known for:
- Wound healing
- Skin inflammation
- Eye health (lutein)
- Pest repellent
- Anti-fungal
How It Is Used
- Flowers are strung into garlands and festival decorations.
- Planted around tomatoes and brinjal as a trap crop and to reduce nematodes.
- Petals are used as a natural dye and in poultry feed for golden yolks.
How to Grow Marigold
| ☀️ Sunlight | Full sun. |
| 💧 Watering | Moderate; let soil dry slightly between waterings. |
| 🪴 Soil | Any well-drained soil; too much fertiliser gives leaves instead of flowers. |
| 🌱 Propagation | Seeds or tip cuttings, which root easily. |
| 📅 When to plant (India) | Sow in three seasons: June–July, September–October, and January–February. |
| 🏡 In pots / at home | Perfect for pots, borders and balcony planters. |
Precautions & Safety
- Sap can cause skin irritation in some people.
- Do not confuse Tagetes with calendula when buying herbal products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Further Reading on Marigold
Written by the WhyOnPlanet editorial team · Last updated October 2026