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Tagetes erecta L. (Cempasúchil): A Mexican Flower that Blooms Around the World

18th Oct 2024

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Mexicolore contributor Daniel López Estrada

We are very grateful to Daniel López Estrada for making us aware of the medicinal benefits now known to be found in the iconic Mexican ‘flower of the dead’, Cempasúchil - sometimes written as Cempoalxóchitl. Daniel is a Mexican medical doctor, researcher, and PhD candidate at China Medical University in Taiwan. His main research focuses on the cultural, medicinal, and historical significance of medicinal plants, traditional medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and traditional Mexican medicine.

Tagetes erecta L., commonly known as Cempasúchil in Nahuatl, is an endemic plant from Mesoamerica, specifically from the region that today corresponds to Mexico. As an endemic plant, its original distribution was exclusive to this region before the exchange of plants that followed the Spanish conquest. Cempasúchil has become widely known not only for its role in traditions such as the Day of the Dead but also for having transcended in famous animated films that address this festivity, such as Coco. This plant, with its bright orange flowers and exotic character, has captured the attention of generations due to its unique appearance and presence in tradition and modernity.

In ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, Cempasúchil was deeply linked to cultural, medicinal, and religious practices. It was associated with the rain god Tlaloc and used in water and fertility rituals. Additionally, the plant had 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.

With the arrival of the Spaniards in 1519, many native plants such as the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), corn (Zea mays L), and pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.), among many others, were exported to different parts of the world and reinterpreted in various cultural contexts. For example, the tomato is now an essential ingredient in Italian cuisine, where it is used as the base for pizza sauce. Did you know that the tomato is a plant of Mexican origin? Cempasúchil also underwent a cultural and scientific transformation as its use spread globally.

Today, Cempasúchil remains a plant of great relevance in science and culture. Chemically, Tagetes erecta L. is rich in flavonoids, antioxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds, hydrocarbons, and essential pigments like lutein, among others.
Lutein – often called ‘the eye vitamin’ - is used to treat eye diseases, especially to prevent macular degeneration (damage to the retina).

There is a wide range of research indicating that lutein supplementation improves working memory performance, body composition, and the blood profile in healthy older adults and middle-aged obese individuals, reducing visceral fat and cholesterol levels. In healthy women, lutein has been shown to increase blood supply to the eyes and reduce high blood pressure. In patients with extreme short-sightedness and healthy adults, lutein gives significant benefits for eye health, such as improved contrast sensitivity, reduced visual fatigue, as well as increased nutrient levels in blood and breast milk.

Additionally, it continues to be part of rituals in various parts of the world, although its best-known use, particularly for those familiar with Mexican culture, is during the celebration of the Day of the Dead.
Every year, on November 1 and 2, Cempasúchil flowers adorn altars and tombs as a symbol of life, death, and memory during the Day of the Dead. It is believed that its bright orange petals and fragrant aroma guide the spirits of loved ones back to the world of the living, underscoring the deep connection between life, death, and memory in Mexican culture. Cempasúchil has gained worldwide recognition for its medicinal properties and its use in industry. Even so, its roots remain firmly anchored in Mesoamerican history, where it continues to be a symbol of resistance, adaptation, and cultural heritage, especially in celebrations such as the Day of the Dead.

Further reading
• López Estrada D., Chang W-T, Heinrich M (2024) ‘From “traditional” to modern medicine: A medical and historical analysis of Tagetes erecta L. (Cempasúchil)’ Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine - follow link below...

Picture sources:-
• Main: photo by, and courtesy of Michael Heinrich
• Pix 2, 5 & 6: photos by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore
• Pic 3: image downloaded with permission from the author’s scientific article (see above)
• Pix 4 & 7: photos by and courtesy of Daniel López Estrada.

Aztec limerick no. 69 (ode to Cempasúchil) -
The Mexican ‘flower of the dead’
Goes with memories, offerings, and bread.
Now it’s been found
It contains a compound
That’s good for the eyes – so it’s said.

See the entry on Cempoalxóchitl in our ‘Aztec Flora and Fauna’ section Read Daniel’s co-authored full scholarly article on Cempasúchil (Science Direct)