french marigold
french marigold Lexical Profile
• noun
A widely cultivated, compact ornamental plant (Tagetes patula) native to Mexico and Guatemala, characterized by its aromatic, deeply dissected leaves and brightly colored solitary flowers that range from yellow to deep orange and red.
"Many gardeners plant French marigolds alongside tomatoes to help deter harmful root-knot nematodes from damaging the crop."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its name, the French marigold is actually native to the Americas; it is often distinguished from the taller African marigold, which also shares the same Mexican and Central American origins.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The term 'French' was applied to the plant because it was heavily cultivated in French gardens and introduced to England by French Huguenot refugees in the 16th century. 'Marigold' derives from 'Mary's gold', a historical reference to the Virgin Mary.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.