How to tell what color flower a marigold seed will grow?

[SaleenSundria]

I've always planted marigolds in my garden, and I always collect the seeds once the flowers die, so I have many, many marigold seed pods right now.

Something I've been wondering is, If you know what color flower a seed pod came from was, can you expect the seeds to be the same color? I would like next year's marigolds to not all be completely a single color, but I haven't been able to find anything online about the genetics of marigolds.

While I know the color of flower each seed pod came from, I'm worried that the orange and orange-and-red plants might dominate the collection next year as my yellow marigolds haven't been doing very well until recently.

I've never had the chance to actually plant my own marigolds from previous years plants before, because I am very scatterbrained and always lose the seeds before planting season the next year. Any help is appreciated, and links to articles or helpful websites would be amazing!

 

[oneeye]

The new plant seed will be determined by the parents. I think it is anyone's guess when it comes to what color the offspring will be. If you plant your plants and they inbreed among themselves they will probably have recessive traits and not be as pretty. If they crossbreed between two different parents then you may find the hybrids that are pretty like the parents. The only way to know for sure is to plant the seed and grow out the plant.

 

[big rockpile]

Yelp either look on the package or plant and see.

I didn't know French and African were that different.

big rockpile