About Mexican Mint Marigold Plants

Appearance

• Mexican mint marigold, a bushy 18- to 30-inch-high Aster family herb, pairs glossy, finely toothed linear leaves with bright yellow, late-summer blooms. Opening in clusters at the ends of the plant's erect, smooth stems, the 1/2-inch wide blossoms persist well into fall. Its clear green hue distinguishes the herb's foliage from the blue-tinged leaves of French tarragon.

Growing Conditions

• Mexican mint marigold grows as a perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 8 through 11, where winter temperatures remain above 10 degrees F. It dies to the ground with the first hard freeze and re-emerges in spring. Where the thermometer falls into the single digits or below, container-grown plants overwinter as indoor plants. The plant needs a well-drained location. Frequent watering during peak summer heat is essential. Watering on a five- to-seven-day schedule suffices at other times. Reflected light from cement drives, walkways or walls may scorch Mexican mint marigold's foliage at temperatures above 100 F. Cutting the herb back by one-third revives it when cooler weather returns.

In the Garden

• In a mixed herb border, Mexican mint marigold displays well with silvery, sprawling wooly thyme or oregano. Its golden-yellow blooms contrast with purple coneflowers or blue speedwell, and harmonize with edible, orange or yellow nasturtium blooms. The aromatic herb makes a welcome addition to a fragrance garden. Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Variegated Fritillaries and Monarchs butterflies are among several butterfly species that flock to the marigold in butterfly gardens.

In the Kitchen

• Flowers from the Mexican mint marigold make refreshing salad additions. Leaves freshly harvested from the plant's growing tips have the strongest, sweetest anise flavor. Chopped leaves add zest to butter, cheese and omelets. Drying the leaves reduces their impact; preserving them in vinegar or freezing them is preferable. Including the leaves toward the end of the cooking process prevents evaporation of their aromatic oils.

Propagation

• Mexican mint marigold grows from seed, root divisions or stem cuttings. Using easily rooted stem cuttings shortens the time to flowering and harvest. Seeds do best if started indoors six to eight weeks before the average final spring frost date.