Best Marigold Seeds (2026)

Marigolds are about the easiest flower you can grow from seed: they sprout in about a week in warm soil, bloom within two months and keep going until frost. The packet you pick decides what you get. French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are compact, 6 to 12 inches tall, with small, often bicolored flowers, and they’re the classic choice for edging beds and tucking between vegetables. African marigolds (T. erecta) grow taller with big pompom heads, and signet marigolds (T. tenuifolia) have lacy foliage and tiny single flowers. Below are seven current Amazon listings, all French types, covering bicolors, bulk mixes for mass planting and a crested double yellow, with what each packet states about height, spacing and bloom time. The buyer’s guide afterward covers how to choose between marigold types and how to use them for companion planting.

Part of our Flowers & Perennials guide →

In this guide

1. 1. Sow Right Seeds Sparky Mix French Marigold — Best Overall
2. 2. HOME GROWN Red Cherry French Marigold — Best Bicolor Variety
3. 3. KVITER French Marigold 500 Seeds — Best for Borders and Edging
4. 4. Outsidepride French Marigold Mix — Best for Hot, Dry Beds
5. 5. NatureZ Edge Marigold Seeds Mix — Best Bulk Mix for Mass Planting
6. 6. TomorrowSeeds Yellow Brocade French Marigold — Best Double Yellow
7. 7. Survival Garden Seeds Sparky Mix — Best Heirloom Open-Pollinated
8. What to Look for in Marigold Seeds
9. Using Marigolds for Companion Planting
10. Frequently Asked Questions

Disclosure: Urban Lotus Project earns a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

How we compared: we compared 7 current Amazon listings on what each listing states (variety, seed count, plant height, spacing, germination and bloom timing); we did not test or handle the products, and availability changes.

For sowing, care and troubleshooting, see our guide on how to grow marigolds. For more annuals and perennials to pair with them, start at our flowers and perennials guide.

1. Sow Right Seeds Sparky Mix French Marigold — Best Overall

Best overall

Why We Like It

• Complete sowing, spacing and bloom timing on listing
• Flowers in 50-60 days
• Classic mixed and bicolor Sparky colors
• Germination guarantee per listing

Specification	Details
Variety	Sparky Mix (Tagetes patula)
Seed count	Minimum 1 g, about 350 seeds
Height / spread	3-8 in tall, 10-12 in spread
Spacing	6-8 in, 1/4 in deep
Germination	5-10 days at 70-80°F soil
Bloom	50-60 days; zones 3-13

Sow Right Sparky Mix — compressed specs

Sparky Mix is a long-standing French marigold blend, and this listing gives the most complete growing data among the Sparky packets on the shelf. It states soil temperature, depth, spacing, plant size and days to bloom, which makes planning a border straightforward: sow 6–8 inches apart and expect color in about two months. The low, spreading habit fills gaps between tomatoes and peppers without shading them, and the wavy-petaled flowers come in a full range of warm colors.

The shelf has three other Sparky Mix listings, from Survival Garden (one and two packs) and SVI. They’re the same open-pollinated type; Sow Right gets the top spot for the detail in its listing. About 350 seeds is plenty for most home gardens, and it’s the packet we’d hand a first-time grower.

Check Sow Right Sparky Mix price on Amazon

2. HOME GROWN Red Cherry French Marigold — Best Bicolor Variety

Best bicolor

Why We Like It

• Single named variety for uniform color
• Compact 6-10 in mounded plants
• 600 open-pollinated seeds
• Blooms about 7-8 weeks from sowing

Specification	Details
Variety	Red Cherry (Tagetes patula)
Seed count	600
Flower	1.5-2 in, single to semi-double, red with gold reverse
Height / spacing	6-10 in tall, 8-10 in apart
Germination	5-8 days at 70-75°F, 1/8 in deep
Type	Non-GMO, open-pollinated

HOME GROWN Red Cherry — compressed specs

If you want a border that reads as one color rather than a confetti mix, a single named variety is the way to go, and Red Cherry is the most striking on the shelf. The listing describes deep red petals with a golden-yellow reverse, single to semi-double flowers 1½–2 inches across, on neat, mounded plants 6–10 inches tall. It’s well suited to window boxes and a crisp edge along a vegetable bed.

The listing also includes useful growing details: a shallow 1/8-inch sowing depth, indoor starting under 14 hours of grow light, pinching young plants for bushiness and deadheading to extend bloom. At 600 seeds, it’s a generous packet for a single variety. HOME GROWN also sells Petite French packets on the shelf, but those listings say far less about the plants.

Check HOME GROWN Red Cherry price on Amazon

3. KVITER French Marigold 500 Seeds — Best for Borders and Edging

Best for edging

Why We Like It

• Larger 2-3 in semi-double heads
• Slightly taller, 10-12 in plants
• Clear spacing for beds and rows
• Edible blooms for garnish per listing

Specification	Details
Variety	French marigold mix (Tagetes patula)
Seed count	500 (a 1,000-seed version is also listed)
Height / width	10-12 in tall, 9 in wide
Spacing	6 in, rows 18-24 in
Germination	7-21 days at 65-80°F, 1/4 in deep
Type	Non-GMO, open-pollinated heirloom

KVITER French Marigold — compressed specs

KVITER’s packet sits at the taller end of French marigolds, 10–12 inches with 2–3 inch semi-double heads, which makes it a better fit than the dwarf Sparky types for a border that needs to hold its own in front of perennials or along a fence. The listing gives row spacing as well as plant spacing, handy if you’re planting long runs along walkways.

Note the wider germination range of 7–21 days compared with 5–10 days on the Sow Right listing; keep the soil evenly moist and be patient. KVITER also sells a 1,000-seed version of the same listing on the shelf if you’re planting a large area.

Check KVITER French 500 price on Amazon

4. Outsidepride French Marigold Mix — Best for Hot, Dry Beds

Heat tolerant

Why We Like It

• Heat and drought tolerance stated
• 1,000 seeds for larger beds
• Lists soil pH 5.6-6.5
• Zones 3-10 per listing

Specification	Details
Variety	French marigold mix (Tagetes patula)
Seed count	1,000
Height	8-12 in
Sowing	2-3 seeds per spot, 8 in spacing
Germination	5-20 days at 70-75°F
Soil	Well-drained, pH 5.6-6.5

Outsidepride French Marigold Mix — compressed specs

Outsidepride’s listing focuses on toughness: compact plants that tolerate heat and drought once established, with fragrant foliage that deer tend to avoid. That makes this mix a sensible choice for a hot curb strip, a south-facing bed or a large planting in the South or Southwest where marigolds have to bloom through July and August.

The listing recommends sowing two to three seeds per spot at 8-inch spacing, then thinning. At 1,000 seeds, it covers a lot of ground. The colors are limited to oranges and yellows, so if you want reds and bicolors, Sparky Mix or Red Cherry is the better pick.

Check Outsidepride French Mix price on Amazon

5. NatureZ Edge Marigold Seeds Mix — Best Bulk Mix for Mass Planting

Best bulk

Why We Like It

• Largest seed count on the list
• Several French varieties in one packet
• Germinates in 8-10 days per listing
• Good for meadows, school gardens, big beds

Specification	Details
Varieties	Petite French, Sparky French, Dainty Marietta and more
Seed count	Over 5,600 (0.63 oz)
Colors	Orange and yellow hues
Germination	8-10 days
Height and spacing	Not stated in listing

NatureZ Edge Marigold Mix — compressed specs

When you’re edging an entire vegetable garden, filling a long driveway strip or handing out seed to a classroom, seed count matters, and this packet has more than five times as many seeds as any other on the list. The listing names several compact French types in the blend, including Petite French, Sparky French and Dainty Marietta, and mentions that marigolds draw beneficial insects such as bees, ladybugs and lacewings.

The trade-off is less information. The listing doesn’t give heights, spacing or bloom timing, and in a mix you won’t know which variety is which until it flowers. Treat it like a mass planting: sow thickly, thin to 6–8 inches, and enjoy the mixture.

Check NatureZ Edge Mix price on Amazon

6. TomorrowSeeds Yellow Brocade French Marigold — Best Double Yellow

Best double

Why We Like It

• Fully crested double flowers
• Uniform bright yellow color
• Compact for containers and borders
• 1,000+ seeds

Specification	Details
Variety	Yellow Brocade (Tagetes patula)
Seed count	1,000+
Flower	Bright yellow, double crested
Habit	Dwarf, compact
Height, spacing, germination	Not stated in listing

TomorrowSeeds Yellow Brocade — compressed specs

Crested French marigolds have a raised, fluffy center surrounded by a collar of flat petals, a fuller look than the single and semi-double flowers of Sparky or Red Cherry. Yellow Brocade gives you that in one clean, bright yellow, which pairs well with purple salvia, blue ageratum and dark-leaved basil. The dwarf habit suits containers on a sunny patio.

The listing is short on growing data, so lean on standard French marigold timing: sow 1/4 inch deep after frost, space 6–8 inches apart, and expect blooms in about two months. If you want a uniform color but in red, Red Cherry is the alternative.

Check TomorrowSeeds Yellow Brocade price on Amazon

7. Survival Garden Seeds Sparky Mix — Best Heirloom Open-Pollinated

Best heirloom

Why We Like It

• Open-pollinated and untreated
• Red, orange, yellow and bicolor mix
• Dwarf, tidy mounds
• Two-pack version also listed

Specification	Details
Variety	Sparky Mix (Tagetes patula)
Packets	1 (2-pack version available)
Type	Heirloom, open-pollinated, non-GMO, untreated
Habit	Dwarf, compact mounds
Seed count	Not stated in listing

Survival Garden Sparky Mix — compressed specs

For gardeners who save seed, the untreated, open-pollinated designation matters. Survival Garden’s Sparky Mix states both, along with a dwarf, tidy habit for beds, walkways and raised-bed edges. The color range matches Sow Right’s Sparky Mix: reds, oranges, yellows and bold bicolors.

Marigold seed is easy to save: let a few of the best flowers dry on the plant, pull out the slender seeds and store them dry. With a mix, the next generation will vary in color. The listing doesn’t give a seed count, so compare it with the Sow Right packet if quantity matters.

Check Survival Garden Sparky price on Amazon

What to Look for in Marigold Seeds

French, African or signet

Type	Height	Flowers	Best for
French (Tagetes patula)	6–12 in	Small, single to double, often bicolor	Edging, containers, vegetable beds
African (Tagetes erecta)	Typically 1–3 ft	Large pompoms, yellow to orange	Back of border, cut flowers
Signet (Tagetes tenuifolia)	Around 1 ft	Tiny single flowers, lacy foliage	Edible flowers, informal edging

All the picks above are French marigolds, which suit most edging and companion-planting jobs. African types take longer to bloom and are better started indoors in short-season regions. Marigolds are often confused with calendula, a different plant sometimes called pot marigold; see marigold vs calendula for the differences.

Single variety or mix

Single named varieties like Red Cherry and Yellow Brocade give a uniform look for formal edging and containers. Mixes give variety and are forgiving in casual beds and vegetable gardens.

Seed count

At 6–8 inch spacing, a 20-foot edge on both sides of a path takes roughly 60–80 plants. A few hundred seeds covers most home gardens; bulk packs make sense for large plantings or sharing.

Using Marigolds for Companion Planting

French marigolds are a traditional companion for tomatoes, peppers, squash and beans. The most cited benefit is that their roots release compounds that can suppress some root-knot nematodes, which works best when marigolds are grown densely for a full season, ideally as a cover planting before vegetables. Their open flowers also attract hoverflies and other beneficial insects. They’re helpful, not a cure-all. Our companion planting guide covers what research supports and what’s folklore.

Sow directly after your last frost date, or start indoors 4–6 weeks earlier. Keep soil moist until seedlings appear, then water at the base and avoid wetting the foliage. If plants grow lush but won’t flower, see why marigolds stop blooming.