Tagetes patula
This is a beautiful marigold from a fascinating part of the world.
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, was once a major trading centre along the ancient Silk Road, the dynamic trading network that was used to bring East and West together for almost 1,000 years.
In 1992, the Tashkent Marigold was collected by flower seed collector Bob Bell during a “People-to-People” trip to Uzbekistan. He collected the seeds outside of an old school in Tashkent and then donated them to the Seed Savers Exchange (USA).
The flowers are stunning.
Their single blooms are a deep red-mahogany with yellow-orange centres and deep green feathery leaves. The small, compact plants (about 12″) bloom right up until the first frost.
The leaves and flowers have a strong sweet smell, which stands out compared to other marigolds. Smartgarderer.com writes:
“[The plants have] a sweet marigold fragrance. It lacks the common astringent odor of other marigolds. The plants are so fragrant they sweeten the air on a hot summer day… This is the finest marigold that we have grown.”
Tashkent Marigold is also a wonderful plant for pollinators and beneficial insects.
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About the pictures:
The pictures are from the US Library of Congress Archives (and in the public domain). They were taken circa 1910 in the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara in present day Uzbekistan, centuries after the Silk Road was abandoned.
They mark both the passage of the Silk Road and its legacy.
Mosques | Photos 3 & 4 capture the mesmerizing blue mosaics of local mosques.
Fabric Merchant | Photo 5 is of a fabric merchant in Samarkand surrounded by his neatly folded rolls of cotton and silk – his poise intrigues us…
‘Man from Bukhara’ | Photo 6 – The colourful clothes of the ‘man from Bukhara’ (the caption included with the original photo) are a reminder of the exotic goods that passed through this area.
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A bit more (or skip to ‘How to Plant‘ below):
Tagetes patula, the species of marigold of Tashkent Marigold, is an edible flower.
In their comprehensive review titled, “Edible flowers with the common name “marigold”: Their therapeutic values and processing”, Chitrakar and colleagues (2019) discuss the food use, phytochemical content and pharmacological effects of edible marigold species.
For Tagetes patula (e.g. Tashkent Marigold), the authors report the following food use:
“Both the flowers and leaves are used for making refreshing drinks, as well as for coloring and flavoring foods. Moreover, because of its similar color and looks with saffron (Crocus sativus), this flower is used as an adulterant (Facciola, 1990).”
“Traditionally, this flower was considered an aromatic herb and because of its digestive, diuretic, and sedative properties, it was used therapeutically for the treatment of indigestion, colic, severe constipation and sore eyes (Bown, 1995).”
“This plant was used differently from one country to another. For example, in the Philippines, a decoction of the flower was used as a refreshing drink and was considered as a carminative (Guerrero, 1922). Similarly, in Argentina, an extraction of the plant was used as a calmative, diuretic, stimulant, and stomachic. Moreover, in Columbia and Venezuela, an infusion of the plant was used during bath or rubbed on the body for rheumatism (Neher, 1968).”
Many phytochemical studies report that Tagetes patula flowers are rich in carotenoids, such as lutein, antheraxanthin, zeaxanthin, and violaxanthin (e.g. Bhattacharyya et al 2008).
Tagetes patula is also an important source of flavonoids, such as quercetin (124.59 mg of quercetin equivalent per 100 grams of dry extract of flowers; Riaz et al 2022).
And the maroon and orange flowers of Tagetes patula are also a good source of anthocyanins (Deineka et al., 2016).
See below, “How to Use”, for some ideas on how to include marigold petals in your diet.
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How to Plant: Tashkent Marigolds are easy to grow. Start seeds indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost. Seeds need light to germinate. Press seeds into the soil, barely cover with soil and place container in a warm, bright place. Once seedlings are up, keep in a sunny place. After the last chance of frost has passed, transplant outside, leaving about 6 to 8 inches between plants. You can also direct sow seeds mid-May.
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How to Process: Pull petals from the stem and remove the white (or pale green) ‘necks’ with scissors, as they could give a bitter taste if not removed. The trimmed marigold petals taste milder than the flower smells.
How to Use: A little goes a long way. Think of marigolds as a concentrated packet of phytonutrients. You don’t need a lot. Use fresh petals sprinkled in a salad. Use dry petals in tea, rice, soups or stews. Dried marigold petals have a sweet-spicy earthy taste.
In the Republic of Georgia (the country), dried and ground Tagetes patula petals are called Imeretian saffron or Zafaran. You can make your own by grinding the dried petals in a coffee grinder for a few seconds, sift and then use or store.
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Location: Sun, Partial sun
Life cycle: Annual
Usable Parts: Flowers, Leaves (dried, fresh)
Uses: Tea, Seasoning
Height: 12″
Container Friendly
