As Day of the Dead approaches, Mexican farmers are preparing one of the holiday’s most recognizable exports: the cempasúchil, or Mexican marigold. Millions of these vivid orange blooms are being shipped north to the United States and Canada, where growing Mexican and Mexican American communities use them to honor deceased loved ones during the annual celebration observed November 1 and 2.
The flower holds deep symbolic meaning in Mexican tradition. Its strong scent and bright color are believed to guide the spirits of the dead back to the altars, or ofrendas, that families build in their homes, cemeteries, and public spaces. Petals are often scattered in pathways leading to these altars, while whole flowers decorate photographs, candles, and offerings of food meant to welcome departed relatives.
According to the report, the states of Puebla and México, located in central Mexico, are the country’s main producers of cempasúchil, supplying both the domestic market and the growing demand abroad. As Day of the Dead traditions have spread internationally—helped in part by its recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage practice—exports of the flower have become an increasingly important seasonal business for Mexican growers.
You can watch the original video report from Telemundo for more details on how this export season is unfolding.
Source: México exportará millones de flores de cempasúchil a EE.UU. y Canadá con motivo del Día de Muertos (telemundo.com).
Image: uteart, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).