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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 Marigold vs. Balloon Flower vs. African Marigold

The comparison

Marigold vs. Balloon Flower vs. African Marigold

Units
Growing facts for Marigold, Balloon Flower and African Marigold, side by side
Fact
MarigoldTagetes spp.
Balloon FlowerPlatycodon grandiflorus
African MarigoldTagetes erecta
DifficultyEasyModerateEasy
Life cycleAnnualPerennialAnnual
Germination time4–7 daysNot yet verified4–7 days
Germination temperatureNot yet verifiedNot yet verified24–27 °C75–81 °F
Sowing depth6 mm¼ inNot yet verified6 mm¼ in
SunFull sunFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shade
WaterNot yet verifiedModerateModerate
ContainersYesNot yet verifiedYes
Frost toleranceTender (no frost)Not yet verifiedTender (no frost)
Soil pHNot yet verifiedNot yet verifiedpH 6.0–7.0
Links
How to grow marigoldRemove marigold
How to grow balloon flowerRemove balloon flower
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.

  • Marigold plants with orange ruffled pompom flowers and finely divided green leaves in a sunny bedFlowers

    Marigold

    Tagetes spp.

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    Cheerful, easy annuals that sprout in about a week and bloom from early summer until frost. Start them indoors or sow outside once frost has passed, in full sun.

    How to grow marigold
  • Balloon flower blooms in deep blue with pale green buds in a gardenFlowers

    Balloon Flower

    Platycodon grandiflorus

    Difficulty: Moderate

    Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) is a perennial that is easy to grow from seed in full sun to partial shade. Plants are slow to establish and emerge late in spring.

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

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