Marigolds (Tagetes): Flavorous, Floriferous, and Fragrant to Skipper, Sulphur, and White Butterflies

Tagetes genus, which comprises over fifty species in the aster-daisy-sunflower family Asteraceae, is commonly known as marigolds.

In 1753, the father of modern taxonomy, Swedish botanist-physician-zoologist Carl Linnaeus (May 23, 1707–January 10, 1778), named the genus in honor of Tages, an Etruscan (ca. 8th to first centuries B.C.) deity of prophecy. Tages was later incorporated into Roman mythology as the son or grandson of Jupiter (Latin: Iuppiter, "O Father Sky-God"), the patron deity of Rome who reigned as king in the Roman pantheon. Tages was believed to have sprung to full life from the plowed earth. Reminiscently, marigolds seem to burst through the earth from their seeds.

A New World original, marigolds trace their nativity to the American tropics and subtropics. Marigolds are now a worldwide phenomenon, having been introduced and naturalized successfully on other continents since their discovery subsequent to the settlement of the New World.

Three marigold species that are irresistible to butterflies are

• Mexican mint (Tagetes lucida),
• French marigold (Tagetes patula),
• Signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia).

Tagetes lucida is commonly known as Mexican mint, Spanish tarragon and sweet mace.

A perennial from Mexico and Guatemala, Tagetes lucida spreads from 16 to 32 inches (40 to 80 centimeters) and displays a fairly similar range in height, from 16 to 40 inches (40 to 100 centimeters).

A woody-based plant, Tagetes lucida branches for a slight way up the stem.

Aromatic leaves, which are lance-shaped, are toothed.

Tagetes lucida explodes in golden brightness in late summer as small flowerheads open in abundant profusion.

Tagetes lucida leaves, which flavorfully combine the taste of tarragon and anise, easily serve as an undetectable substitute for tarragon in cuisine.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which classes plants according to the coldest temperature at which they remain viable, categorizes Tagetes lucida in Zone 9 (20° to 30° Fahrenheit; -7° to -1° Celsius) through Zone 11 (40° to 50° F.; 4° to 10° C.).

Tagetes patula is commonly known as French marigold.

An annual with a compact exuberance, Tagetes patula hails from Mexico and Guatemala.

Tagetes patula spreads from 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters). Its height hovers from 8 to 20 inches (20 to 50 centimeters).

Pinnate (Latin: pinna, "feather, fin") leaves, which are divided into narrow, lance-shaped segments, are toothed.

Flowers open singly or in small clusters in early summer and last into autumn. In the wild, floral coloring tends toward yellow to orange. Popular garden varieties strikingly blend red with yellow in striped petals.

Tagetes patula is a visual and fragrant delight, from its vivid, fragrant flowers, whose oil is distilled for perfume, to its aromatic leaves, whose oil glands exude a pungent scent. Butterflies enthusiastically visit this beloved shrub, delighting in its flavorsome nectar, while also appreciating its gorgeous sunny blazes of gold, dark orange and brick red hues.

Tagetes patula is classed in hardiness Zone 11 (40° to 50° Fahrenheit; 4° to 10° Celsius) to Zone 12 (50° to 60° F.; 10° to 16° C.).

Tagetes tenuifolia is commonly known as signet marigold and striped marigold.

A finely branched annual, Tagetes tenuifolia ranges natively from Mexico south into Colombia (República de Colombia).

Tagetes tenuifolia spreads from 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 centimeters). Its height ranges from 12 to 32 inches (30 to 80 centimeters).

Multi-toothed, pinnate leaves are divided into narrow, lance-shaped segments.

From early summer into autumn, tiny yet abundant flowerheads dramatically contrast with short yet obvious ray florets, which are the small, strap-shaped flowers in the center of the flowerhead. Bright shades of yellow, orange and red vivify the full, aromatic foliage that wafts luscious, citrusy scents.

Tagetes tenuifolia is hardy for Zone 11 (40° to 50° Fahrenheit; 4° to 10° Celsius) to Zone 12 (50° to 60° F.; 10° to 16° C.).

Butterflies flock to marigolds. Four that treasure marigolds' golden nectar are

• orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme),
• cabbage white (Pieris rapae),
• common checkered skipper (Pyrgus communis),
• dwarf yellow or dainty sulphur (Nathalis iole).

Colias eurytheme is commonly known as orange sulphur butterfly.

This New World native is seen throughout the continental United States except for peninsular Florida. Colias eurytheme also feels at home as far south as central Mexico and as far north as southern Canada.

Colias eurytheme yearns for the openness of alfalfa and clover fields, meadows and roadsides.

Bordered in black, male uppersides sport a dark black cell spot amidst rich orange to golden yellow. Yellow to white uppersides are punctuated in females by spots rimmed with irregular black borders.

Wingspan measures 1-3/8 to 2-3/4 inches (3.5 to 7 centimeters).

In addition to marigolds, Colias eurytheme extracts nectar from asters (genus Aster), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) and mints (genus Mentha).

Pieris rapae is commonly known as cabbage white butterfly.

A Eurasian native, Pieris rapae was first reported in North America in 1860 at Quebec City, Canada. By 1886 Pieris rapae was observed in the United States from the western states of the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf Coast states in the southeast.

Pieris rapae now ranges from central Canada to northwestern Mexico. Abounding throughout the continental United States, Pieris rapae is not, however, found in south Texas, southern Louisiana or the Florida Keys.

Uppersides are white with black-tipped forewings. Females have two submarginal black spots, while males have only one. The undersides of hindwings and of the apex (Latin:  apex, “tip, peak, top”), or tip, of each forewing are yellow green or grey green.

Wingspan averages 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 inches (4.5 to 5.8 centimeters).

In addition to marigolds, Pieris rapae extracts nectar from dahlias (genus Dahlia), lavenders (genus Lavandula), mustards (genus Brassica) and zinnias (genus Zinnia).

Pyrgus communis is commonly known as common checkered skipper.

A North American native, Pyrgus communis is found throughout the continental United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico.

Pyrgus communis enjoys sunny, open habitats with low vegetation. Fields, gardens, meadows, and prairies are preferred habitats. Roadsides, along with openings and trails in woods, are also appealing.

The inconspicuous coloring of Pyrgus communis presents blue grey uppersides with white sprinkles.

Its petite wingspan measures 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 centimeters).

In addition to marigolds, Pyrgus communis delights in blue mist shrub (Caryopteris x clandonensis), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), coneflowers (genus Echinacea) and ironweeds (genus Vernonia).

Nathalis iole is commonly known as dwarf yellow, or dainty sulpur, butterfly.

In the United States, Nathalis iole resides in the deep south, from southern California east to the Gulf states and to peninsular Florida. Nathalis iole’s native range stretches southwards across Mexico to Guatemala.

Open, dry habitats appeal to Natalis iole. Coastal flats, weedy fields, grasslands, meadows and roadsides are ideal locales.

Elongated forewings have yellow uppersides with dainty black markings. Completely whitened uppersides occur, albeit rarely. The undersides of the forewings have a patch of orange or yellow at the base and black spots at the outer wing edges. Hindwings are dusty green in winter and pale yellow in summer.

Wingspan averages 3/4 to 1-1/4 inches (2 to 3.2 centimeters).

In addition to marigolds, Nathalis iole favors asters (genus Aster), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), lavenders (genus Lavandula) and zinnias (genus Zinnia).

The common name, marigolds, is thought to honor the Virgin Mary, as the original vernacular name, Mary's gold, has been truncated. Marigolds bountifully and brightly enhance the landscape, bursting forth in a predictable brilliance of sunny hues that gladden hearts. The bright, unassumingly steadfast prevalence of marigolds, particularly with the close of summer and subsequent autumnal signs of decline and decay, instills a cheery understanding of nature's bountiful cycles.

Generally:

“Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold. . . .

Nothing gold can stay.” (Robert Frost, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”)

And yet marigolds persist, oftentimes surviving a light frost. Reliance on the fidelity, perseverance and profuse presence of this modestly regal genus does not yield disappointment, not for Homo sapiens and certainly not for butterflies.

Not only are marigolds visually stunning, in their unaffected, natural flowering and foliage, but they also provide other sensual enrichment through fragrance and taste. Edible leaves for Homo sapiens and savory nectar for butterflies complete their profile as pleasant sensations in the floral community.

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Tagetes patula, Urbana, east central Illinois: Dori, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Urbana_Illinois_park_20070928_img_2120-crop.jpg

Liberec Botanical Garden, north central Czech Republic: CC BY-SA 3.0, via Digital Herbarium-Charles University in Prague First Faculty of Medicine @ http://www1.lf1.cuni.cz/~kocna/flowr_my/p8250178.jpg

French marigold (Tagetes patula): Muhammad Mahdi Karim, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:French_marigold_Tagetes_patula.jpg

signet marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia): Goku122, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tagetes_tenuifolia_g122.JPG

Red Gem': developed for the garden, Jardin botanique de Montréal: Quinn Dombrowski (quinn.anya), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/3812986019/

Orange Sulphur (Alfalfa Butterfly): Kathy (rittyrats), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/rittysdigiez/1444378704/

Pieris rapae rests near exuvia after pupal emergence on underside of copper beech (Fagus sylvatica purpurea) leaf: Drahkrub (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Drahkrub), CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pieris_rapae_hatched_(dkrb).jpg

"closer look": CharlesLam, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/kclama/2656392879/

Pieris rapae saltlicking, northeast Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany: Christian Fischer (Fice), CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PierisSaltLick.jpg

Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA), Mason Neck, Virginia: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/52450054@N04/8037946847/

Dainty sulphur (Nathalis iole): pondhawk, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/38686613@N08/4731959316/

Halland province, southwestern Sweden: Tournesol, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_and_yellow_flower.jpg

'Yellow Gold': Andrew Butko, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Растения_в_Седово_078.JPG

Negen-Nessen neighborhood, Bergen, North Holland, northwestern Netherlands: tacowitte, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/inyucho/5991038899/

Barton, Barb. “Colias eurytheme (On-line).” Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

• Available at:  http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Colias_eurytheme/

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"Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme Boisduval, 1852."  Butterflies and Moths of North America: Collecting and Sharing Information about Lepidoptera. Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus, Butterfly and Moth Information Network.

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Colias-eurytheme

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