Plants That Look Like Marigolds: Bright Alternatives for Your Garden

Marigolds are a garden staple, prized for their bright golden and orange blossoms that bloom all summer long. But did you know there are many other plants that resemble marigolds? With their similar vibrant colors and shapes, these marigold lookalikes can make excellent substitutions or companions in your landscape.

In this article, we’ll highlight some of the best marigold lookalike plants to consider for your garden. Whether you want to mix things up or find lower maintenance alternatives, discovering these marigold mimics can expand your planting possibilities

Why Grow Marigold Lookalikes?

Here are some of the reasons you may want to grow plants with a similar appearance to marigolds:

• Add new colors and shapes While marigolds come in shades of orange, yellow, red, and white, lookalikes can introduce fresh hues like pink, purple, and blue Their blooms may also have unique forms, like puffy mums or elaborate dahlias.

• Lower maintenance. Some marigold alternatives are perennials or reseed on their own, avoiding the need to replant marigolds each year from seed.

• Attract pollinators. With their bright, nectar-rich flowers, many marigold lookalikes will draw in bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

• Complement marigolds. You can interplant or mix these mimics to create vibrant combinations. The similar colors and bloom periods result in lovely coordinated displays.

• Replace marigolds. If marigolds struggle in your climate or you want to try something new, substituting marigold-like plants allows a seamless transition.

Top Marigold Lookalike Plants

Here are some of the best flowers and plants that can pass for marigolds in the garden:

1. Pot Marigold

Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis

Also called English or Scotch marigolds, pot marigolds bloom in similar warm yellows and oranges as garden marigolds. Their flowers have a more open, daisy-like shape. These hardy annuals reseed readily in the garden.

2. Zinnia

Botanical Name: Zinnia elegans

A favorite for cutting gardens, zinnias come in a wide range of bright colors, including all the marigold hues of red, orange, yellow, and white. Their flowers have layers of petals that give them a shaggy, informal look. Grow these quick-blooming annuals from seed.

3. Black-eyed Susan

Botanical Name: Rudbeckia hirta

Named for their dark central cones, black-eyed Susans bear flowers that strongly resemble marigolds. Their golden petals surround the dark center much like the color pattern of marigolds. These heat and drought-tolerant perennials are native wildflowers in many areas.

4. Garden Mum

Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum x morifolium

Available in many marigold colors like orange, burgundy, yellow, and white, garden mums have very full, lush blossoms. Their abundant petals give them a fluffy, textured look. Plant these herbaceous perennials in fall for late season color.

5. Mexican Sunflower

Botanical Name: Tithonia rotundifolia

With their large, 3-4 inch blooms, Mexican sunflowers make a bold statement in fiery orange and yellow shades. Their flowers have a similar daisy shape to marigolds but with much bigger, attention-grabbing dimensions. Grow these annuals from seed in full sun.

6. Coreopsis

Botanical Name: Coreopsis tinctoria

Tickseed offers abundant blooms in marigold colors of yellow, orange, and red. Its daisy-like flowers have distinct dark centers and come in single or double forms. Plant these short-lived perennials in masses for a big impact.

7. Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium

With its fern-like foliage and flat-topped flower clusters, yarrow makes its mark in the garden. Look for yellow and orange varieties to get the marigold look. These tough perennials thrive in hot, dry conditions.

8. Cosmos

Botanical Name: Cosmos bipinnatus

A cottage garden favorite, cosmos comes in orange and yellow varieties that evoke marigolds. Its daisy-like blooms appear late spring through fall atop airy, delicate foliage. Direct sow these fast-growing annuals where you want them to bloom.

9. Tithonia

Botanical Name: Tithonia rotundifolia

Sometimes called Mexican sunflower, tithonia produces huge, brilliant orange flowers that cannot be ignored. They resemble oversized marigold blooms set atop tall, bushy plants. Grow these annuals from seed in full sun for maximum flowering.

10. Gerbera Daisy

Botanical Name: Gerbera jamesonii

In warm climates and indoors, gerbera daisies bloom prolifically in a rainbow of colors, including marigold shades of orange, red, and yellow. Their big, ostentatious flowers have a similar layered petal look on top of long wiry stems. Grow these perennials in containers or garden beds.

11. Gazania

Botanical Name: Gazania rigens

With its marigold flower hues and ground-hugging growth habit, gazania makes an excellent substitution for marigolds as a colorful ground cover. It tolerates heat, drought, sandy soils, and seaside locations. Plant these perennials by seed or plant division.

12. Goldenrod

Botanical Name: Solidago spp.

Brightening fall landscapes, goldenrod lives up to its name with plumes of tiny golden flowers. Seek out compact varieties under 2 feet tall. These perennial wildflowers are tough, low maintenance plants.

13. Cowpen Daisy

Botanical Name: Verbesina encelioides

This heat loving annual goes by many common names, including golden crownbeard. With prolific yellow flowers, it can provide a marigold effect in hot climates where marigolds struggle. Self-sows readily in the South.

14. Marigold Vine

Botanical Name: Anredera cordifolia

While not a true flower, this ornamental vine provides a cascade of marigold-like color. Its golden-yellow leaves are 4 inches wide, resembling giant marigold blooms trailing over walls, fences, and more. Grow this fast grower in zones 8-11.

Key Differences From Marigolds

While all these plants evoke marigolds in appearance, there are some key differences:

• Bloom time. Marigolds are at peak bloom in summer and fall. Some mimics like mums, gazanias, and goldenrods shine at other times.

• Plant type. Marigolds are uniformly annuals. Lookalikes include annuals, perennials, vines, and shrubs.

• Origins. Marigolds hail from the Americas. Some mimics have other native ranges like Africa, Europe, and Asia.

• Size. Marigolds range from dwarf kinds under 1 foot to giant varieties over 4 feet tall. Lookalikes come in all sizes.

• Climate specificity. Marigolds grow best in sunny warmth. Some alternatives prefer cooler or drier conditions.

Tips for Using Marigold Lookalikes

Here are some suggestions for incorporating marigold lookalikes successfully:

• Match bloom time and growing conditions. Select plants adapted to your climate that bloom when you want color.

• Mix heights and forms. Combine spiky yarrow with mounding zinnias or viney marigold vines for diverse textures.

• Use bold colors for contrast. Let bright orange and red flowers like tithonia stand out against pastels or silver foliage.

• Underplant mimics in empty spaces. Fill bare spots under leggy plants like cosmos with lower gazanias or portulaca.

• Highlight entrances and borders. Use marigold lookalikes like coreopsis and zinnias prominently in beds by entryways.

• Pair with true marigolds. Use impatiens or gerbera daisies to extend and complement marigold displays.

Brighten Your Landscape With Marigold Mimics

Marigolds are classics, but they represent just one option for vibrant floral color in the garden. Branch out with marigold lookalikes like pot marigolds, zinnias, black-eyed Susans, mums, and more to see just how many bright planting possibilities await.

With a palette of orange, yellow, red and more, marigold mimics can introduce fresh color combinations, attract pollinators, and expand your gardening horizons. Mix these sunny lookalikes in garden beds and containers to bring flamboyant color from spring through fall.