Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida)

Mexican Mint Marigold

Tagetes lucida

Other Common Names: Texas Tarragon, Mexican Tarragon, Sweet Mace

Top Pick: A heat-loving native herb with fragrant foliage and bright fall blooms that pollinators and gardeners both love.

Quick Plant Info

• ☀️ Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• 💧 Water: Low to Medium
• 🌿 Type: Perennial
• 📏 Mature Size: 2–3 ft tall × 1–2 ft wide

Description

A fragrant, heat-tolerant perennial with golden blooms and an anise-like scent, often used as a culinary herb.

Mexican Mint Marigold produces clusters of bright yellow flowers in fall and releases a distinctive licorice-like fragrance when brushed. It is valued both as an ornamental plant and as a culinary substitute for tarragon.

🌼 Why it works

• Exceptional heat and drought tolerance
• Fragrant foliage adds sensory interest
• Reliable fall bloom
• Dual-purpose as an ornamental and culinary herb

🐦 Wildlife value

A strong nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators during its fall bloom period.

Provides late-season support when fewer plants are flowering.

🌱 Where it thrives

Best in full sun to part shade with well-drained soil. It performs well in typical garden conditions and is especially suited to warm climates and low-water landscapes.

• Herb gardens
• Pollinator gardens
• Sunny beds and borders

Soil: Prefers well-drained soil and adapts to a range of conditions, including clay.

✂️ Growth & maintenance

Cut back after flowering or in late winter to maintain shape and encourage fresh growth.

💧 Water (establishment note)

Water regularly during establishment; once established, Mexican Mint Marigold tolerates dry conditions but performs best with occasional watering.

Pickup Information

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