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// SPECIES PROFILE · FOOD CROP · CULTIVATED

Mexican Mint Marigold

Tagetes lucida

Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida) is a cultivated perennial food crop grown for its edible leaf, flower. Family: Asteraceae (aster family). Originally from Mexico & Central America. Hardy in zones 8a–11a. Mature size 18"–3'. Harvest in northeastern Oklahoma: Jun–Oct.

// QUICK FACTS
Family
Asteraceae (aster family)
Group
crop · perennial
Origin
Mexico & Central America · cultivated
USDA zones
Zones 8a–11a
Mature size
18"–3'
Sun
Full sun
Water
Low · xeric
Edible parts
leaf, flower
Harvest (NE OK)
Jun–Oct
Garden role
heat-proof tarragon substitute · anise-flavored leaves · fall gold flowers for pollinators
Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida)
Tagetes lucida — Mexican Mint Marigold. Photo by manfred.sause@volloeko.de via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida) is a cultivated perennial food crop grown for its edible leaf, flower. Family: Asteraceae (aster family). Originally from Mexico & Central America. Hardy in zones 8a–11a. Mature size 18"–3'. Harvest in northeastern Oklahoma: Jun–Oct. Low water use makes it a strong candidate for xeric and drought-conscious plantings.

Why it's on this list: heat-proof tarragon substitute · anise-flavored leaves · fall gold flowers for pollinators. A cultivated food crop — not a native — grown alongside regional natives in Rooted Revival's kitchen-garden and food-forest designs. Harvest windows are for northeastern Oklahoma (USDA zone 7a).

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In a kitchen garden or food-forest guild, mexican mint marigold pairs well with: Heirloom Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), Chile Pepper (Capsicum annuum), Eggplant (Solanum melongena), Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus).

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