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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 Globe Thistle vs. Dusty Miller vs. African Marigold

The comparison

Globe Thistle vs. Dusty Miller vs. African Marigold

Units
Growing facts for Globe Thistle, Dusty Miller and African Marigold, side by side
Fact
Globe ThistleEchinops ritro
Dusty MillerJacobaea maritima
African MarigoldTagetes erecta
DifficultyEasyEasyEasy
Life cyclePerennialPerennialAnnual
Germination time14–21 days7–10 days4–7 days
Germination temperature18–24 °C64–75 °F22–24 °C72–75 °F24–27 °C75–81 °F
Sowing depthNot yet verifiedOn the surface6 mm¼ in
SunFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shade
WaterLowNot yet verifiedModerate
ContainersNot yet verifiedYesYes
Frost toleranceNot yet verifiedNot yet verifiedTender (no frost)
Soil pHNot yet verifiedNot yet verifiedpH 6.0–7.0
Toxicity to catsNon-toxicToxicNot yet verified
Toxicity to dogsNon-toxicToxicNot yet verified
Links
How to grow globe thistleRemove globe thistle
How to grow dusty millerRemove dusty miller
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.

  • Globe thistle plants growing in a garden with many blue spherical flower heads on tall spiny stemsFlowers

    Globe Thistle

    Echinops ritro

    Difficulty: Easy

    Globe thistle is a clump-forming perennial with spiny gray-green leaves and blue globe flowers. It grows from seed in full sun and tolerates poor, dry soil once established.

    How to grow globe thistle
  • Dusty Miller spilling from blue glazed pots alongside red geraniums in a garden bedFlowers

    Dusty Miller

    Jacobaea maritima

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    Dusty miller is a low-growing plant with silvery, lace-like leaves, usually grown for its foliage. Its parts are toxic if eaten, so keep it away from pets.

    How to grow dusty miller
  • 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

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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

Questions about comparing

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

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