Elena the Beautiful is an annual plant of the Asteraceae family that will bring bright sparks to any garden corner. The stems are erect and highly branched from the base, with drooping side shoots creating a dense and compact bush structure. Plant height varies from 25 to 70 cm, allowing them to be used as medium-sized marigolds in flowerbeds or as more compact elements in pots and planters.
Inflorescences – large heads up to 15 cm in diameter, double-flowered, red-brown with golden-yellow spots. They bloom in June after early germination, which usually appears within 5–10 days after sowing. To accelerate flowering, the soil can be covered with non-woven material (acrylic, lutrasil), allowing sowing a week and a half earlier than usual.
Elena the Beautiful is easily grown in open ground, as well as in pots, planters, or balcony boxes. When planted near vegetable crops, it helps reduce fungal diseases, especially fusarium, and protects against certain nematode species. In autumn, flowering plants can be moved indoors, where they will please the eye throughout the winter, and in spring, those planted in open ground form large flowering bushes.
