aztec_marigold mexican_marigold cempazuchitl cempasuchil

Tagetes erecta, the Aztec marigold, Mexican marigold, big marigold, cempazúchitl or cempasúchil, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Tagetes native to Mexico. Despite being native to the Americas, it is often called the Africa marigold. In Mexico, this plant is found in the wild in the states of México, Michoacán, Puebla, and Veracruz.

Strongly associated with festivals of the dead since pre-Columbian times, it is used widely in Dia de Muertos festivals. Whole flowers are often included as part of ofrenda, while carpets of petals are laid to guide souls of the dead to it.

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