SeedBattle
Search
Menu

Side by side

Compare seeds

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. Purple Coneflower vs. African Marigold

The comparison

French Marigold vs. Purple Coneflower vs. African Marigold

Units
Growing facts for French Marigold, Purple Coneflower and African Marigold, side by side
Fact
French MarigoldTagetes patula
Purple ConeflowerEchinacea purpurea
African MarigoldTagetes erecta
DifficultyEasyEasyEasy
Life cycleAnnualPerennialAnnual
Germination time4–7 days10–20 days4–7 days
Germination temperature24–27 °C75–81 °F18–21 °C64–70 °F24–27 °C75–81 °F
Sowing depth6 mm¼ in3 mm⅛ in6 mm¼ in
SunFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shade
WaterModerateNot yet verifiedModerate
ContainersYesYesYes
Frost toleranceTender (no frost)HardyTender (no frost)
Soil pHpH 6.0–7.0pH 6.0–8.0pH 6.0–7.0
Links
How to grow french marigoldRemove french marigold
How to grow purple coneflowerRemove purple coneflower
How to grow african marigoldRemove african marigold

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
  • Purple coneflower blooms with pink drooping petals and orange central cones in a sunlit gardenFlowers

    Purple Coneflower

    Echinacea purpurea

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    Purple coneflower is a hardy perennial with daisy-like flowers that grows in full sun or partial shade. Seeds usually sprout in about 10 to 20 days when kept warm and moist, and the plant often reseeds itself.

    How to grow purple coneflower
  • African marigold plants growing in a field with many orange pompom flowers under a cloudy skyFlowers

    African Marigold

    Tagetes erecta

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    African marigold is a tender annual grown from seed in full sun, with fragrant leaves and showy flowers that attract butterflies. It also grows well in containers.

    How to grow african marigold

Keep comparing

Try another matchup

Add a third seed, or swap one for a close relative from the same category.

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

Questions about comparing

How many seeds can I compare?
Two or three at a time. Pick them in the boxes at the top, or start from any seed's page with “Compare with another seed”.
Can I share a comparison?
Yes. Every comparison has its own address, like /compare-seeds/?seeds=french-marigold,coneflower, so you can copy the link from your browser and send it.
Where do the facts come from?
From each seed's profile. Every fact there is researched and reviewed by our editors before it goes live.
Can I see metric or imperial units?
Both. The table picks the units that match your browser's language, and the switch above it changes them. Your choice is remembered in this browser.
Do I need an account?
No. Comparing seeds, like every page on SeedBattle, is free and needs no account.

Found your seed?

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

Browse seedsSearch seeds