I continue to be very impressed with the Marvel II series marigolds. The flowers are huge, and the tightly-packed petals keep out destructive Japanese Beetles.
Marvel II marigolds are African marigolds that grow 16-18 inches tall with 4-inch+ blooms that come in yellow, gold and orange.
I sprouted the seeds for these marigolds indoors about 5 weeks before our last average frost date and then planted them outside in late May. The flowers stand up well to heavy rains because they grow on sturdy stalks, and I’ve never had any insect or disease problems with these marigolds.
Marvel II marigolds are great for a burst of color in the middle of the flower border. They go well with warm colors like orange or red, or you can combine them with cooler colors like pink or purple. The flowers last a long time and the plants will keep blooming until frost if, like other marigolds, you keep them deadheaded.
Growers and sellers seem to be more fickle these days about keeping cultivars around for long before moving on to something else. But as long as I can continue to find seeds for these easy-to grow, showy marigolds, I’ll keep including them in my flowerbeds!