I suspect that 'Durango Red' (rather than 'Red Durango') is an F1 hybrid, but I'm not positive. I googled (Tagetes Durango Red F1), and found one site that listed it as such, but I don't consider one source as proof. If they are F1 hybrids, the offspring will not be true-to-type, but some F2 offspring would likely have the same or similar coloration. I only went through a couple of pages of google search results. Further review might yield an answer.

The Durango Series (bred by Pan American Seed Co) is NOT an F1.

Thank you both! I did realize the mistake in transposing the name after posting. I guess I will give it a shot come spring and let you know my findings.

Hey goblugal,

You kind of left us hanging...care to elaborate? Do you know the answer to w1ldflower's question?

Sorry - didn't mean to leave anyone hanging. I have gone straight to the breeder - will let you know what they say!

Direct from Pan Am: "I think for the first generation it might come close. It all depends if the pollinations were with itself or other marigolds. The second on generations will really start to wander"

Hmmm, that sure sounds like a hybrid to me. What possible other explanation would there be for the wandering?

Part of my above post didn't show up. I used brackets for part of the post and that seems to have made it invisible, somehow. Anyway....

If only plants were being offered, then the stable cultivar would be easily explained by vegetative propagation, but Durango Red is available from seed.

It is definitely a hybrid - just not an F1 hybrid.

F2? It seems odd that they would predict that the "first generation...might come close (but that) the second (and) on generations will really start to wander" if it's not an F1. If their was already some variation then it might make sense for an F2 hybrid. Otherwise it like a pattern of
(same)...(same)...(same)...(same)...(same)...(close)...(very different)
What would account for the sudden change?

I don't know what it is, but this does seem so odd to me that it has me wondering. I'm just curious.

There is some variability in these. It is not unusual for seed propagated items to start to wander after several generations, unless you continue to cull and select for the desired traits.