Native to the eastern Mediterranean and western Africa, corn marigold is a rounded spreading annual and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, yarrow, and lettuce. Plants grow 1-2′ tall and are well branched with hairless fleshy stems bearing oblong to obovate leaves that are blue-green, lobed, and sessile. The 2.5″ wide flowerheads are carried in terminal sprays and consist of bright yellow ray flowers surrounding a center of yellow disc flowers. They appear from June into fall and are an attractive in a border, rockery, cottage garden or a meadow planting. The genus name, Chrysanthemum, comes from the Greek words chrysos meaning gold and anthos meaning flower and refers to the bright yellow color of the flowerheads. The specific epithet, segetum, is the Latin word meaning of the corn fields and refers to its common habitat in Europe.
Type: Annual
Bloom: Bright yellow flowerheads from June to fall
Size: 1-2′ H x 2′ W
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average, moderately moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
Hardiness: Not relevant
Care: Low maintenance
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Seed
Companion Plants: Corn cockle, cornflower, common poppy
Outstanding Selections:
‘Eastern Star’ (primrose-ellow flowers with brown disc)
‘Evening Star’ (bright golden yellow flowers)
‘Prado’ (2″ wide golden yellow flowers with dark red center, 3′ tall)
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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Karen Meyers