Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Asteraceae
Native
Mexico and South America
Life Cycle
Annual
Plant Height
Tall (Greater than 24")
Flower Color
Orange
Bloom Season
Summer to frost
Further Information
Plant Characteristics
- Attracts Butterflies
- Cut Flower
- Edible Flower
- Good for Containers
Growing Conditions
Drought Tolerant
Plant Resistance
- Deer Resistant
- Rabbit Resistant
About Crackerjack African Marigold Seeds
Tagetes erecta
4" blooms in tangerine orange, rich gold, and lemony yellow.
Planting Marigold
Plant Spacing
A group of 3 seeds every 18"
Light Required
Full sun
Plant Height
Tall (Greater than 24")
Planting Depth
¼"
Planting Details
| Seed Depth | ¼" |
|---|---|
| Seed Spacing | A group of 3 seeds every 18" |
| Thinning | When 1" tall thin to 1 every 18" |
| Germination | 5–14 days |
| Start Indoors | RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date. |
| Direct Sow | 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70°–80°F. |
| Growing & Harvesting | For the longest vase-life, harvest in the morning, choosing flowers that are half-open. Change vase water frequently. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 25 Total 4 star reviews: 5 Total 3 star reviews: 1 Total 2 star reviews: 3 Total 1 star reviews: 3
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
37 reviews
- Katherine H.Verified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 stars6/4/26Amazing!
Excellent and quick germination rate! Very tall with large blooms. I tried 5 marigold varieties this year and these were tied at #1 with easiest to grow (spoiler: Botanical Interests’ Signet Gem Blend was the other one!)
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerBIBotanical Interests6/13/26Hey Katherine,
What fantastic results with our Crackerjack African Marigold Seeds! We're thrilled to hear about that excellent germination rate and those tall, large blooms you're getting. It's awesome that they tied for #1 easiest to grow in your 5-variety marigold trial - that's quite the accomplishment! Your garden must be absolutely stunning with all those beautiful blooms. Thanks for sharing your Crackerjack marigold success with us! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Rebecca B.Rated 5 out of 5 stars6/3/26Quick to sprout!
Three days to sprout in north Texas -- wild temp extremes. Planting late so I hope they can cope with our summer
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests6/3/26Hey Rebecca,
Three days to sprout in those wild north Texas temperature swings - that's incredible! Your Crackerjack African Marigold Seeds are definitely off to a strong start. These tough marigolds are known for handling heat pretty well, so we think they'll surprise you with how they cope with your summer weather. Thanks for sharing your Crackerjack marigold sprouting success with us! Keep on growing 🌻️
- RachelVerified ReviewerRated 2 out of 5 stars4/24/26None are like the packet describes
Very disappointing. I have 10 of these planted throughout the garden. All look different and none are like the packet describes. 2 are producing attractive flowers but no where near 4inch size. the rest are a bit straggly and not worth cutting. I had expected much better.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests5/7/26Hey Rachel,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- RobinRated 5 out of 5 stars3/27/26Prolific Grower!
I had a lot of success growing this variety. I started them indoors in seed trays, then transplanted in the garden. They grew so fast and so big! I did not read the seed packet well enough to know just how tall these would get. I planted them around my veg garden and had to cut them back so the tomato plants could get sun! Lesson learned! I used the cuttings in flower arrangements. That being said, the flower heads were large and attracted many butterflies and bees. I will definitely plant these again, just not around the veg patch.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests3/31/26Hey Robin,
What a fantastic adventure with your Crackerjack African Marigold Seeds! We love hearing about those "oops" moments that turn into great learning experiences - sounds like these beauties really lived up to their reputation for getting big and tall! It's so smart that you turned those cuttings into flower arrangements instead of just composting them. And how wonderful that they brought so many butterflies and bees to your garden - that's exactly what we love to see! Your plan to give them their own space away from the veggie patch next time sounds perfect. These marigolds definitely deserve room to show off their full glory! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Rachell C.Rated 5 out of 5 stars1/21/26Huge and Beautiful
These were the absolute best flowers I have ever grown. They are so big, stunning, and they are truly the best pest deterrent for my tomatoes. Excited to grow them again this summer!
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerBIBotanical Interests1/22/26Hey Rachell,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your amazing experience with our Crackerjack African Marigold Seeds! We're absolutely thrilled to hear they were the best flowers you've ever grown - what an incredible compliment! It's fantastic that you're experiencing both their stunning beauty and their fantastic pest-deterrent qualities for your tomatoes. We love that these big, gorgeous blooms are working double duty in your garden! We're so excited that you're planning to grow them again this summer - they're going to be just as spectacular! Thank you for choosing us and for sharing your wonderful success with us. Keep on growing 🌻️