History of Marigold Flowers

Origin

• The marigold is a native of the Americas, originally found from Argentina to Arizona and New Mexico. The Atzecs called the flower "cempoalxochitl" and used it as part of their religious rituals and medicine.

History of Marigold Varieties

• After Spanish explorers returned to Europe with seeds, the marigold spread to other lands including France and Africa. The two most common varieties today are the tall African marigolds, so named because the flower became naturalized in northern Africa; and the shorter French marigolds, which were hybridized by French breeders.

Name

• The name marigold derives from "Mary's gold," which Europeans bestowed on the plant because of the sunny color of the blossoms.

Return to America

• The marigold was reintroduced to America by David Burpee, who took over the Burpee family seed company in 1915. He bred new marigold types and promoted them in his seed catalog, which helped revive interest in the plant, according to the National Garden Bureau website.