Mexican Marigolds are a Central American flower with healing powers. Tradition says they attract spirits to visit their families on the Day of the Dead
The Mexican Marigold, Aztec Marigold, Cempasúchil, Flor de Muertos, or Tagetes erecta, is native to Mexico & Central America.
The Aztecs used them for medicinal purposes and Day of the Dead ceremonies. Cempasúchil is the Nahuatl (Aztec) name for the flower.
Mexican Marigolds Are a Healing Flower
The flowers of the Mexican Marigold are a homeopathic treatment for protecting the eyes, cleaning and healing the skin, cleansing the digestive tract, and fighting various cancers.
Marigold baths are used after childbirth to promote the mother’s healing.
A Natural Dye
Mexican Marigolds were used by Indigenous Peoples as a dye.
Today they arestill used to make yellow or orange food coloring. They are also used as feed to improve the color of egg yolks and shrimp.
Repel Insects
Gardeners use Mexican Marigolds to repel garden pests, especially various worms.
Mexican Marigolds are the Day of the Dead Flower
The Day of the Dead is a time when dead souls visit their living families. Mexican Marigolds attract spirits with their bright colors and scent.
Marigold flower oil is used in Honduras to clean the bodies of the dead.