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Pick two or three seeds to see how they grow, side by side: sprouting, spacing, sun, water, frost and pet safety in one table.

Comparing French Marigold vs. Black-Eyed Susan Vine vs. African Daisy

The comparison

French Marigold vs. Black-Eyed Susan Vine vs. African Daisy

Units
Growing facts for French Marigold, Black-Eyed Susan Vine and African Daisy, side by side
Fact
French MarigoldTagetes patula
Black-Eyed Susan VineThunbergia alata
African DaisyOsteospermum ecklonis
DifficultyEasyEasyModerate
Life cycleAnnualNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
Germination time4–7 days10–21 daysNot yet verified
Germination temperature24–27 °C75–81 °FNot yet verified18 °C64 °F
Sowing depth6 mm¼ inNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
Spacing between plantsNot yet verified36–41 cm14–16 inNot yet verified
SunFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shadeFull sun
WaterModerateModerateLow
ContainersYesYesYes
Frost toleranceTender (no frost)Tender (no frost)Half-hardy (light frost)
Soil pHpH 6.0–7.0Not yet verifiedNot yet verified
Links

Up close

Meet the seeds

What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.

  • French marigold plants with red and orange bicolor flowers growing in a garden bedFlowers

    French Marigold

    Tagetes patula

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    French marigold is a compact, bushy annual that grows 6 to 12 inches tall in full sun or partial shade and is easy to start from seed.

    How to grow french marigold
  • Black-Eyed Susan Vine yellow flowers with dark centers growing over leaves in a mulched bedFlowers

    Black-Eyed Susan Vine

    Thunbergia alata

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    Black-eyed Susan vine is a fast-growing twining climber with orange or yellow flowers, usually grown as an annual from seed in full sun with a support to climb on.

    How to grow black-eyed susan vine
  • White African daisy with purple centre growing among orange flowers in a garden bedFlowers

    African Daisy

    Osteospermum ecklonis

    Difficulty: ModerateGrows in pots

    Osteospermum ecklonis, the African daisy, is an evergreen shrub with daisy flowers that have dark blue centres and white-to-indigo petals. It likes full sun and can be sown in spring at 18 °C (64 °F).

    How to grow african daisy

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The table, row by row

How to read a comparison

Every row is a fact from each seed's own profile, lined up so the differences stand out.

  1. Sprouting

    Germination time and temperature

    How many days the seeds take to sprout, and the temperature range they sprout in.

  2. Sowing

    Sowing depth and spacing

    How deep to sow each seed and how far apart the plants should grow. “On the surface” means the seed isn't covered.

  3. Timing

    Days to maturity and life cycle

    How long until the plant is ready, counted from sowing or from transplanting (each value says which). Annuals live one year, biennials two, perennials longer.

  4. Light and water

    Sun and water

    Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, partial shade a few hours. Water needs are rated low, moderate or high.

  5. Space and weather

    Containers, frost tolerance and soil pH

    Whether it grows in a pot, with the smallest pot when it's known. Frost tolerance runs from tender (no frost) to hardy. Soil pH 7 is neutral.

  6. Pets

    Toxicity to cats and dogs

    Whether the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Quick wins

Fastest to sprout

Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.

Pet friendly

Safe around cats and dogs

Listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Each seed's page has the details.

Not safe for pets: borage, buckwheat, caraway, carnation and 14 more.

Comparing

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Each seed's page explains how to grow it from seed, with facts researched and reviewed by our editors.