I’ll always remember my trip to my grandmother’s hometown of Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, last November. For three days, the streets, doorways, and old colonial buildings were covered with thousands of fresh marigolds as the town prepared to welcome back its ancestors.

The cempasúchil, or marigold, is native to Mexico and known as the ceremonial flower for Day of the Dead. It’s used to guide the spirits of loved ones home. The name comes from the Nahuatl language and means “the flower of 20 petals.” Mexican tradition says the flower’s scent and bright orange color help spirits find their way during their early November visit.

In 2023, I visited Mexico City’s Mercado de Jamaica to research Day of the Dead traditions for my new book. From the outside, it looked ordinary, but inside I found everything needed to create a traditional altar.

Vendors sold papel picado—colorful tissue paper garlands with intricate designs of skeletons dancing, getting married, and riding bikes. Skeletons appear in all Day of the Dead decorations because Mexican culture sees death as a natural part of life, not something to fear.

Around another corner, I found myself surrounded by orange petals. Looking closer, I saw pickup trucks overflowing with marigolds, petals spilling onto the ground. Vendors from Michoacán and Puebla filled straw baskets with the tiny petals, making sure nothing was wasted.

The market was full of energy and chaos. Vendors called out prices and tossed marigold bunches in the air while searching for the perfect bouquets for customers. The smell was strong and musky. Some might find it unpleasant, but to me it meant the best season of the year had arrived.

Marigolds have been used throughout Mexico since before Spanish arrival, when the Aztecs honored Mictēcacihuātl, the skeletal-faced goddess of death. She was widely worshipped in late July and early August.

Although the Spanish disapproved of the Aztecs’ festivals honoring the dead, they couldn’t completely stop them. Instead, indigenous people found ways to honor the dead during Catholic holidays like All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. This blending of traditions eventually helped the Spanish convert indigenous people to Catholicism. Today, this celebration is known as Día de Muertos.

While archaeologists don’t know everything about the original summer celebration of Mictēcacihuātl, they believe it included making marigold garlands, burning copal incense, singing, and dancing—all traditions that continue in Day of the Dead celebrations.

During my travels, I learned that marigolds aren’t the only flowers used to honor the dead. The second most popular is the red cockscomb, called cresta de gallo or flor de terciopelo (“velvet flower”) in Mexico. Its soft texture is associated with comfort after losing a loved one. This edible flower comes in deep shades of crimson and burgundy.Armenian red, yellow, pink, purple, and orange.

Baby’s breath, or flor de nube, can also honor young children who have passed away. The white color represents the innocence of their souls, and when paired with marigolds, it gives off a pleasant scent.

At Mexico City’s Mercado de Jamaica, vendors were selling clemolitos and siempre vivas. Clemolitos, often called molitos, are a type of marigold that’s less fluffy and orange, appearing drier with a reddish hue. They’re sometimes used alongside regular marigolds but aren’t as common. Siempre vivas, meaning “always alive,” are purple flowers that never wilt and are mainly available in autumn. While not as popular as marigolds or other traditional blooms, they’re another choice for Day of the Dead altars.

After talking with the market vendors, I was inspired to visit the flower farms in Michoacán. There, I met seven-year-old Leo Dante, who was determinedly carrying piles of marigolds and assured me he had everything under control. I also spoke with Rumaldo Acosta, 70, who was working in the fields that day. He told me, “This tradition will never end. It’s a beautiful, joyful tradition where we remember our departed loved ones.”

Photos: Christine Chitnis
Photos: Christine Chitnis
Photos: Christine Chitnis

Thinking back on my conversations with Leo and Rumaldo, I felt grateful to be part of a culture that values passing down traditions and keeping our celebrations alive.

“Mexico’s Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life Through Photos and Stories” is now available from Hardie Grant.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful FAQs about how marigolds became the iconic flower of Mexicos Day of the Dead

Basic Questions

1 Why are marigolds used for the Day of the Dead
Marigolds or cempasúchil in Spanish are believed to guide the spirits of the deceased back to the world of the living with their vibrant color and powerful scent

2 What does cempasúchil mean
The name comes from the Nahuatl language cempohualxochitl which means twenty flowers or many flowers referring to the flowers many petals

3 Are marigolds the only flowers used
No other flowers like white babys breath and red cockscombs are also used but marigolds are the most important and symbolic

4 Where do you put marigolds during the celebration
They are used to create paths from the street to the front door and they are a central part of the ofrendas built in homes and cemeteries

Symbolism History

5 What do the color and smell of marigolds represent
Their bright orange and yellow colors represent the sun and light providing a cheerful welcome Their strong unique smell is thought to help attract and guide the souls

6 How far back does this tradition go
The use of marigolds dates back to the Aztecs who used them in rituals dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl the Lady of the Dead long before Spanish colonization

7 Did the Spanish introduce marigolds to Mexico
No marigolds are native to Mexico The Spanish incorporated the existing native flower into the merged Catholic and indigenous traditions that became the modern Day of the Dead

8 What is the spiritual belief behind the path of petals
Families create paths with marigold petals leading from the street to their ofrenda so that their loved ones spirits dont get lost and can find their way home for their annual visit

Practical Cultural Usage

9 Can I use any type of marigold
While there are many varieties the specific type used is the