Mexican Marigold
Tagetes erecta
- Found in India
- Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala & more
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Tagetes erecta
- Genus
- Tagetes
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Found in India
- Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Recorded for Mexican Marigold.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Asteraceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Telugu
- బంతిపువ్వు
- Malayalam
- ചെണ്ടുമല്ലി
- Marathi
- झेंडू
Mexican Marigold in India
The marigold is India's festival and garland flower above all others — బంతిపువ్వు (Telugu), ചെണ്ടുമല്ലി (Malayalam), झेंडू (Marathi). Tagetes erecta is grown across Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu for the vast demand at weddings, pujas and festivals like Diwali and Dussehra.
Uses
Its dense orange and yellow flower heads are strung into the garlands and toran that decorate doorways, deities and celebrations, and are grown commercially in huge quantities. Marigolds are also planted among crops as a natural pest-repellent companion plant.
How to Identify Mexican Marigold
A bushy annual with strongly scented, ferny pinnate leaves divided into many toothed leaflets. The flower heads are large, rounded and densely double in bright yellow to deep orange, with a distinctive pungent smell that helps identify them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Mexican Marigold called in different Indian languages?
- బంతిపువ్వు (Telugu); ചെണ്ടുമല്ലി (Malayalam); झेंडू (Marathi).
- Why are marigolds used in Indian festivals?
- Their abundant, long-lasting orange and yellow blooms are ideal for the garlands and toran used at weddings, pujas and festivals like Diwali and Dussehra.
- Do marigolds repel pests?
- Yes — they are commonly planted among vegetables as a companion plant said to help deter certain soil pests and insects.
Asteraceae
Daisy/Sunflower family
Mexican Marigold belongs to the Asteraceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Asteraceae
View all Asteraceae →Sources: GBIF — Tagetes erecta (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Tagetes erecta (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Tagetes erecta (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)