African Marigold A Royalty-Free Stock Photo

The marigold abroad her leaves doth spread, because the sun and her power is the same,” wrote poet Henry Constable in a 1592 sonnet. The marigold has long been associated with the sun. African marigolds Tagetes erecta, which are actually native to Mexico and Central America, were sacred to the Aztecs, who used them as a medicine and as a ceremonial offering to the sun gods. Marigolds are still called the herb of the sun because of this. In Mexico, African marigolds are a traditional flower placed on altars on The Day of the Dead. Continue reading for more African marigold information.