5 Facts About Marigolds You Probably Didn't Know

Kelsey Hansen

Marigolds are popular flowers to grow, thanks to their colorful petals and easy-care nature. Besides their beauty, marigolds can help attract pollinators to your garden, keep pests away, and are even edible. They also have some fascinating cultural and symbolic significance that is often overlooked. Once used in ancient Aztec rituals, marigold flowers today are still closely tied to Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico and the US. Here's a look at some fascinating facts about marigolds that make these plants even more intriguing, and well worth growing in your garden.

Contrary to their confusing common names, marigolds are in fact native to the Americas with about 50 species originating in North, Central, and South America. For example, the African marigold (Tagetes erecta), for example, came to be known by Europeans from seeds imported from Africa before later being brought back to North America for cultivation. Likewise, French marigolds aren't actually from France. They were heavily cultivated in France with many varieties being produced and distributed around the English-speaking world, hence the common name.

Marigolds thrive in many climates. These plants can be grown as short-lived perennials in the tropics or as annuals in colder northern climates. 

To the surprise of most people, marigold flowers are edible. Whether used fresh, dried, or infused into various beverages, marigolds have a multiple of uses in the kitchen. High in carotenoids such as lutein, petals are also used to create natural food colorings with a warm golden yellow color that is used for all sorts of foods, beverages, and animal feeds. Known as pericón in Spanish or Mexican tarragon in English, Tagetes lucida imparts an