Signet (Gem) Marigolds

I know I can’t be the only one who feels no interest in the orange potted marigolds that show up every year in the supermarkets and home improvement stores. I certainly would not have thought to plant marigolds on my balcony; It’s supposed to be a kitchen garden after all!

Well, enter the Signet Marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia). I came across it while looking for pest-controlling companion herbs. It has a strong citrusy scent, deters some pests, and the flowers are edible! On top of this, they look nothing like the dense orange ruffles I’m used to. These are pretty little five-petaled, simple blossoms set among lacy leaves… and they’re tasty too!

While waiting for the flowers to bloom I went ahead and gave the leaves a taste. Yes, this was before I even double-checked that the leaves were edible. They taste to me like orange or grapefruit zest… but without any of the fruits’ sweetness, if that makes sense. I think I may like the leaves better than the blossoms (and a little goes a long way as they’re very strongly scented).

As far as using the blossoms [and greens if you are doing that], I’ve found suggestions for pairing them with fish – think tarragon – and for including the petals in a colorful chicken salad. I’ve been using them with some rosemary when I make fried squash blossoms and also throwing sprigs into my omelettes. I just came across a sweet biscuit recipe that uses them too and I will be trying that in the fall when it’s cool enough to do some baking. They sound delicious and I will post the recipe (pending permission) when I make them.





To be completely honest, I haven’t found anything that explicitly states that the leaves are edible (the blossoms are, there is no doubt to that). I have however found several recipes that use both the leaves and the blossoms (which I am taking as a statement that the leaves are indeed edible) and have been eating both with no ill effects. With any new foods please use common sense and be alert to any possible reactions you may experience.

Not all marigold varieties are edible so please be sure of what you have before cooking with them. SIGNET marigolds are the ones I refer to in this post, they can also be called Lemon Gem Signet, Orange Gem Signet, or Starfire Signet.

My Starfire Signet seeds came from Reneesgarden.com.