MARIGOLD, A FLOWER FROM THE SUN

By Ana Elena Sastrias, Certified Natural Perfumer

An Aztec Flower that paints the Mexican landscape and cities in Orange colour during the Day of the Dead and All Saints’s Day Celebrations

​The Marigold (or Marygold) or Tagetes known in México as “Cempasúchil or Cempasúchitl”, (a Nahuatl word divided in two roots “Cemposalli”, meaning “twenty,” and “Xochitl, meaning “flower,” calling Marigolds the “flower of twenty petals,”) is a very emblematic flower during the month of November in Mexico. 
According to the legend,  Marigolds also known as Cempasúchitl or Cempasúchil were miraculously gifted to the Nahua (the Aztec people) by Tonatiuh, their Sun God, so that they might honour their dead.

November opens with Religious Celebrations for the Day of All Souls, Day of the Dead, Day of All Saints. There is a mix of Pre-Hispanic Culture and Catholic Celebrations. In both arenas, the Marigold or Cempasúchil is present in Altars, Offerings, Churches, Home and Business Decoration, Towns, Cities and Countryside landscape.  
​Marigolds symbolise power, strength, and light that lives inside a person. The marigold has also come to symbolize a feeling of despaired love. If someone has lost someone they love, whether it be by death or a broken relationship. 
The importance of this flower in Mexican Culture is to remember our people who already passed away and honour them during this month of November.

In ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, Cempasúchil was deeply linked to cultural, medicinal, and religious practices. It was associated with the Aztec Rain God, Tlaloc, and was used in water and fertility rituals. Additionally, the plant had a recognized medicinal properties and was used to treat illnesses related to cold and water such as hydropsy, the build-up of fluid in the body’s tissue. This condition, known as a disease of water, along with ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen), was symbolically linked to the Rain God Tláloc and other rain and water deities. Cempasúchil was also used to promote menstruation, and ​aid urination.

Today, Cempasúchil remains  as a plant of great relevance in science and culture. Chemically, named as Tagetes erecta L. is rich in flavonoids, antioxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds, hydrocarbons, and essential pigments like lutein, among others.

In Mexico, the infusion of Cempasúchil flowers is used in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal diseases such as dyspepsia and diarrhoea; it presents antimicrobial, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects related to the presence of flavonoid compounds.In food, the bright yellow, orange, and red blossoms add a flavour that is slightly spicy and bitter – reminiscent of arugula with hints of mint and tarragon. The petals of marigolds add colour and a spicy tang to salads and other seasonal dishes.

Marigold is also used in perfumery by its sunny fragrance boasting a unique and uplifting fragrance that captures the essence of summer. Its scent is characterized by a blend of citrusy, green, and subtly spicy notes, evoking warmth, positivity, and joy. Definitively a heart note to use or even a base note combined with sandalwood.

REFERENCES:

1. Fragrenza - Marigold Essential Oil in Oriental and Floral Fragrances
2. Bailey Van Tassel  Home Garden - 9 recipes of edible flowers - Marigold
3. Flavour Fields Your culinary edge - Marigold Flowers
4. Valley of Roses - The enchanting marigold - a fragrant delight for summer perfumes
5. Aztecs Mexicolore - Tagetes erecta L (Cempasúchil) - López Estrada, Daniel