Corn marigold

Corn marigold: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Annual, 30–60 cm tall and 30 cm wide, with branching, upright growth.

Leaves

Blue-green, cut or toothed, slightly fleshy; the leaves half clasp the stem.

Flower

Daisy-like flowers 3–5 cm across in golden yellow, from June to September.

Seed

Small seeds that self-sow readily.

Origin

An old cornfield flower from the Mediterranean region that has become rare in many places.

Flowering: June–September · Sowing: March–May and September

Why grow it?

• Flowers from June to September with bright golden-yellow blooms, even on poor, sandy soil.
• A typical cornfield flower for a colourful wildflower edge or a naturalistic garden.
• Bees, hoverflies and butterflies visit the flowers for nectar and pollen.
• A good cut flower: the blooms last well in the vase.
• Easy to sow and self-seeds, so it comes back every year.

Corn marigold: where does it grow best?

• Full sun in an open spot.
• Free-draining, sandy to loamy soil, acid to neutral. It does less well on chalky soil.
• Normal moisture; it tolerates some drought but flowers longer if you water in dry spells.
• Poor soil is ideal: on rich soil you get lots of leaves and few flowers. Allow 20–30 cm between plants.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Tolerates light frost (to -5 °C)

Goes well with

• Cornflower: Blue next to the golden yellow; together a classic cornfield picture.
• Poppy: Red as a contrast to the yellow.
• Corncockle: Purple-red flowers among the yellow in a cornfield flower mix.
• Cosmos: Flowers in the same period and adds pink and white.
• Phacelia: A friend of bees, flowers in the same period.

Corn marigold: when and how to plant it?

1. Sow in place in March–May, or in September for early flowers next year.
2. Rake the soil to a fine, level tilth; poor, sandy soil needs no feeding.
3. Broadcast the seed or sow it in shallow drills and cover only lightly, with 0.5–1 cm of soil.
4. Keep the soil moist until the seed has germinated, usually after one to two weeks.
5. Thin to 20–30 cm between plants so they can flower freely.
6. Sow again every few weeks for a long flowering season.

Care

Water

Rain is normally enough; water at the base in long dry spells.

Feeding

Not needed; on rich soil it grows too lush and flops.

Spent flowers

Remove faded flowers to prolong flowering, or leave the last ones to self-seed.

Support

On rich or windy sites, a stake or twigs may help.

Cut flowers

Cut long-stemmed flowers just after they open; they last several days in the vase.

Tip: Sow in spring or in September on acid to neutral, sandy soil in full sun. Do not feed: poor soil gives the most flowers.

Corn marigold: when to prune it?

When: It is not pruned; during the season you only remove faded flowers.

How:

• Cut off faded flowers above a side shoot: this gives new buds.
• Cut flowers for the vase regularly: this encourages new buds.
• At the end of the season, pull up the plants or leave them to self-seed.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow in place in March–May or in September, shallowly, at about 15–20 °C. Seedlings appear in one to two weeks.

Self-sowing

Let a few flowers set seed: without effort, new plants will appear next year.

Corn marigold: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −5 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Annual: the plant dies at the end of the season. Young plants tolerate light frost down to about −5 °C.
• Sow in September for early flowers next year; in a mild area the seedlings often overwinter outdoors.
• In a pot: store seed dry and cool until spring.

Diseases and pests

• Few flowers: Common on soil that is too rich or in shade. Choose a sunny spot with poor soil and do not feed.
• Aphids: On young tips and buds. Rinse them off with water; ladybirds and hoverflies help.
• Slugs: They eat young seedlings. Collect them in the evening and protect the seedbed.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry, close weather. Give space and water at the base.

Through the year

• March: Sow in place. Prepare the soil.
• April: Sow. Thin out. Keep slugs off.
• May: Last spring sowing. Thin out.
• June: Flowering starts. Cut the first flowers.
• July: Full flower. Remove faded flowers.
• August: Flowering. Water in dry weather.
• September: Last flowers. Collect seed. Sow for next year.
• October: Clear the plants or leave them to self-sow.
• November: Store seed dry.
• December: Rest. Plan the sowings.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name segetum means of the cornfields: the plant originally grew among the grain.
• It used to be called Chrysanthemum segetum and has now been placed in the genus Glebionis.
• Together with the poppy, cornflower and corncockle it belongs to the typical cornfield flora.