Traditional uses and benefits of Wild Marigold

Sylvia

9 months ago

The largest family of plants, the Asteraceae, includes the annual aromatic herb known as wild marigold, or Tagetes minuta in science. Although the plant is native to the temperate grasslands and mountain regions of southern South America, it has spread to other parts of the continent, including Hawaii, Cape Verde, Madeira, Madagascar, and Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. It also grows in waste locations in Spain, northern India, Ethiopia, Kenya, and other parts of East Africa. It can be found in Taita Hills, Kaimosi, Masai Mara, Gatundu, and Gathiuru Forest in Nyeri, Machakos, Nairobi, and Voi-Nairobi Road in Kenya. A few of the well-known common names for the plants are stinkweed, wild marigold, chinchilla, false marigold, Muster John Henry, dwarf marigold, khaki-bush, stinking Roger, and Little Marigold, rattlepod, tall khaki weed, Huacatay, African Marigold, Southern Marigold, Southern Cone Marigold, Minute Marigold, and Miniature Marigold.

Tages, an Etruscan deity, is the source of the genus name “Tagetes”. In Roman mythology, Tages was a deity or prophet who sprang from the earth that had been ploughed, and he was thought to be Jupiter’s grandchild. Tages was highly regarded for his knowledge and teachings, especially in the field of haruspicy, which is the practice of divination by looking at the insides of entrails. The genus’s name most likely reflects the vivid and uplifting characteristics of the blooms in it, creating a metaphorical link to Tages’s creation and teachings. The Latin term “minuta” for the species means “small” or “minute.” This categorization pertains to specific traits of the plant, like its delicate features or comparatively small flowers in comparison to other members of the genus. It highlights the more subdued size of “Tagetes minuta” in relation to its decorative cousins or draws attention to certain features that set it apart from other members of the Tagetes genus.

Wild Marigold Facts

Wild Marigold Quick Facts
Name:	Wild Marigold
Scientific Name:	Tagetes minuta
Origin	Temperate grasslands of southern South America but naturalized in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and United States
Colors	Dark brown to black
Shapes	Black achenes, narrowly ellipsoid and hard seeds, 6-7 mm long

Name	Wild Marigold
Scientific Name	Tagetes minuta
Native	Temperate grasslands and mountain regions of southern South America but naturalized in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and United States including Hawaii, Cape Verde, Madeira and Madagascar. It also grows in Ethiopia, Kenya, and other areas of East Africa, northern India and waste places of Spain. In Kenya it is found in Nairobi, Taita Hills, Voi-Nairobi road, Kaimosi, Masai Mara, Gatundu, Gathiuru Forest in Nyeri, Machakos.
Common Names	Aztec marigold, Mexican marigold, Muster John Henry, dwarf marigold, khaki-bush, stinking Roger, stinkweed, wild marigold, chinchilla, false marigold, little marigold, rattlepod, tall khaki weed, Southern marigold, Southern Cone Marigold, Minute marigold, Miniature marigold, Peruvian Black Mint, Huacatay, African marigold
Name in Other Languages	Afrikaans: Kakiebos Angola: Ekaibulo Arabic: Mukhmaliat daqiqa (مخملية دقيقة) Argentina: Chil chil Bengali: Gām̐dā phula (গাঁদা ফুল) Brazil: Chinchilla, coora, cravo de mato, margarita, rabo de foguete, rabo de rajao, suique, voadeira Catalan: Camamilla americana, camamilla de vinya, camomil.la d’América, comí d’América, herba pudent, menta americana, menta borda, menta d’América, milfulles, te pudent Chile: Quinchihue Chinese: Yìnjiā kǒngquè cǎo (印加孔雀草), Xiǎohuā wànshòu jú (小花万寿菊) Croatian: Kadifa Czech: Aksamitník menší Danish: Hvidgul fløjlsblomst, sydamerikansk morgenfrue Dutch: Geelgroen afrikaantje English: Aztec marigold, Khaki Weed, Mexican marigold, Muster John Henry, Southern Marigold, Dwarf marigold, Khakibush, Stinking-Roger, Wild marigold, Stinking Roger, Minute marigold, Southern Cone Marigold, Khaki weed, muster John Henry, stinkweed, tall khakiweed, khakibush Estonian: Süllane peiulill Finnish: Haisusamettikukka French: Tagète des décombres, Tagète, oeillet d’Inde menu, tagète minute, tagétès menu German: Mexikanische Studentenblume, Wilde Sammetblume Hawaiian: Okole‘oi‘oi Hebrew: Tagetes katan, טגטס קטן Hindi: Jungli Gainda (जंगली गेंदा) Hungarian: Mirigyes büdöske Italian: Tagete puzzolente Japanese: Shiozakisô (シオザキソウ) Kenya: Ang’we, anyach, bhangi, mubangi, muvangi, nyanjaga, nyanjagra, omotioku, omubazi gwemhazi Kinyarwanda: Kabuga, Nyiramunukanabi Korean: Man su guk a jae bi (만수국아재비) Lithuanian: Actekinis serentis Madagascar: Mavoadala Malawi: Khaki Malayalam: Tankettes minutta (ടാങ്കെറ്റെസ് മിനുട്ട) Nepali: Jaṅgalī sayapatrī (जंगली सयपत्री) Oriya: ଜଂଗଲୀ ଗେଣ୍ଡୁ Paraguay: Agosto, suico Portuguese: Chinchilho, Cinchilho, Cravo-de-defunto, Cravo-do-mato, Rabo-de-foguete, Rabo de rojão, alfinete-do-mato, coari, coari-bravo, coorá, cravo-bravo, cravo-de-defunto-do-mato, erva-fedorenta, vara-de-rojão Punjabi: Jagalī gēndā (ਜੰਗਲੀ ਗੇਂਦਾ) Quechua: Wakatay Quichua: Huacatay Russian: Barkhattsy melkiye (бархатцы мелкие) Rundi: Urumogi Slovene: Drobnocvetny žametnica South Africa: Africander bossie, jeremane, kakiebos, khaki bush, khaki weed, kleinafrikander, lang kakiebos, Master John Henry, mbanje, stinkbos, transvaalsekakiebos Spanish: Ruda gallinaza, Chinchilla enana, huacatay, anisillo, chil-chil, chilea, chinchilla, chiquilla, damasquina silvestre, rabo de roiao, suico, suique, huacatay, guinquilla, quinchihue, enana Swedish: Stinktagetes Tsonga: Manuhana Turkish: Kokarot Welsh: Gold y De Zambia: Mutanda zyeelo Zimbabwe: Mbanda
Plant Growth Habit	Tall, erect, woody, strongly scented, annual herb
Growing Climates	Coastal areas, disturbed place, fallow and waste ground, cultivated ground, roadsides, rubbish dumps, streams and river banks, pathways and grassy areas
Soil	Thrives in a variety of soil types but prefers well-drained, fertile soil for optimal growth.
Plant Size	0.6–2 meters tall
Root	Taproots are usually short and tapering, and surrounded by fibrous lateral roots, which form mycorrhizal associations
Stem	Typically erect, woody, and grooved or ridged, initially green but often maturing to brownish or reddish
Leaf	Leaves are compound, imparipinnate opposite, carried by short stalk. The leaflet is 50 mm long and 5 mm wide. Margins are sharply toothed. Leaves are slightly glossy green, and are pinnately dissected into 4 to 6 pairs of pinnae
Flowering season	September and November
Flower	Numerous tube, pale yellow to orange like florets. They are normally 3 to 5 yellow-orange ray florets, and 10 to 15 yellow-orange disk florets per capitula
Fruit Shape & Size	Black achenes, narrowly ellipsoid and hard seeds, 6-7 mm long, pilose, pappus of 1-2 setae to 3 mm long and 3-4 scales to 1 mm long with ciliate apex
Fruit Color	Dark brown to black
Seed	Small, black and elongated with fine hairs
Pollination	Insects and bees
Propagation	By Seed
Season	December-January, March-April and July-September

Plant Description

The wild marigold is a tall, woody, annual herb with a powerful aroma that typically reaches a height of 0.6 to 2 meters. The plant grows as a weed along roadsides, in trash dumps, along streams and riverbanks, in disturbed places, fallow and waste ground, cultivated ground, walkways, and grassy spaces. It may thrive in both damp and dry environments. Organic matter-enriched, well-drained soil is ideal for the growth of wild marigold. Fungal diseases such as root rot can be caused by excessive dampness.

It is a source of several secondary products used in the food business, including flavoring agents, insecticides, and medications. It is one of the main sources of the clear liquid essential oil, which ranges in color from pale yellow to dark yellow. It can also have an orange or reddish hue at times. It smells fruity or woodsy. For local usage as food, medicine, and a source of materials, it is gathered from the wild. In Ecuador, Bolivia, sections of Chile, and Peru, it is utilized as a culinary herb. Black mint paste is frequently available at Latin grocery stores in bottled form.

Roots

Typically, mycorrhizal connections are formed by fibrous lateral roots around small, tapered taproots.

Stem

Usually upright, woody, and with grooves or ridges, stems are green at first but frequently turn brownish or reddish as they age. Unless they are fractured or severed close to the base, they are often only branched in the upper portion.

Leaves

The hairless, light green leaves have deeply divided blades that can reach a length of 15 cm, as well as leaf stalks (petioles) that can reach up to 3 cm. The leaf blade is divided into elliptically elongated leaflets that have toothed margins and are 1–7 cm in length and 0.2–1.1 cm in width. The clefts on the edges between these teeth contain glands. The fragrance of crushed plants is very strong, unpleasant, and marigold-like.

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Wild Marigold Image Gallery

Flowers

Many tubular, floret-like, pale yellow to orange. Each capitula typically has 3–5 yellow–orange ray florets and 10–15 yellow–orange disk florets. Summer until fall is when flowers bloom.

Fruits

Black achenes with a ciliate apex, pappus of 1-2 setae to 3 mm long, and 3–4 scales to 1 mm long, are narrowly ellipsoid and hard seeds measuring 6-7 mm in length. The entire plant has an overpowering, disagreeable scent.

Traditional Uses

The entire plant is used internally to cure indigestion, gastritis, and internal worms.
It is also fragrant, diaphoretic, diuretic, stomachic, and anthelmintic.
Externally, skin diseases and hemorrhoids are treated with it.
The essential oil strengthens the respiratory system and heals fungal diseases like athlete’s foot.
The plant is gathered while in flower and dried for later use.
It was used in infusions and as a remedy for colds, respiratory inflammation, stomach issues, and fungal infections.
Its antimicrobial, anti-phlogistic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, cyto-phylactic, sedative, emollient, fungicide, and hypertensive properties were also noted.
Its effectiveness in killing worms in wounds was particularly noted when it was used in the form of extracted essential oil.
When applied as a cream or lotion, it can be beneficial for fungal and microbial infections and especially helpful in treating weeping wounds or athlete’s foot.
Boiled leaves are used to treat respiratory tract infections or stomach problems.
Headaches, coughs, bronchitis, chest infections, or they can be used as an insect repellent for a wide range of insects.

Culinary Uses

An essential oil extracted from the distilled plant, which is harvested after flowering, is used as a flavoring in ice cream, baked goods, soft drinks, and other products.
They provide an apple-like flavor.
Mint marigold is used as a spice with an apple-like flavor in South America.
Aromatic seasonings for soups and vegetables can be made with both fresh and dried leaves.
In certain regions of Peru, it is cultivated as a vegetable, and the dried leaves are used to flavor and spice various foods.
Mint marigold is used to flavor liqueurs; fresh leaves can be cut and used to season chicken and green salads or to prepare a sweet, anise-flavored tea.
Tarragon can be replaced with the sweet, anise-like flavor of leaves and stems when cooking.

Different Uses

In Mexico, it is used to remember the lives of departed family members and friends on November 1st, the Day of the Dead.
It is regarded as a flower of the dead during these festivities.
The plant is used to decorate graves because of its powerful scent, which is said to draw spirits to flowers.
The Aztecs employed it as a medicinal and in numerous religious rituals.
It is frequently offered in Latin grocery shops in bottled pasta form, such as black mint paste.
It is widely grown in India for wreath-making and ornamental uses at weddings and parties.
The plant is aromatic and rich in essential oils, which give it its distinctive odor.
There are more than 27 components in the essential oils used in the perfume business.
The oil is yellowish to reddish amber in hue, and it smells strongly of citrus.
Dried leaves add an apple-like flavor to soups and vegetables when used as an aromatic seasoning.
Dried plants can be hung indoors as an insect repellent.
The essential oil extracted from the distilled plant, which is harvested when it is in bloom, is used as a flavoring in ice cream, baked products, soft drinks, etc.
It is extensively utilized in the vegetational regeneration programs of certain soils.