During my travels, I learned that marigolds are not the only flower used to celebrate and honor the dead. The second most popular flower used for the holiday is a red blossom known as cockscomb in English and cresta de gallo in Spanish. In Mexico, they also call it flor de terciopelo, the “velvet flower,” because of its soft touch and association with bringing comfort after losing a loved one. The flower, which is edible, can be found in deep shades of carmine red, yellow, pink, purple, and orange.
Flor de nube, or baby’s breath, can also be used to honor young children who have passed. The color white symbolizes the innocence of the children’s souls, and when combined with marigolds, flor de nube creates a lovely aroma.
The vendors at Mercado de Jamaica in Mexico City were also selling clemolitos and siempre vivas. Clemolitos (molitos, for short) are a different type of marigold—not as fluffy or as orange, dry, and with a tint of red. This flower is often used in combination with regular marigolds but is less popular. Siempre vivas, on the other hand, are purple flowers whose name translates as “always alive.” This flower never wilts and is primarily found during autumn; though it’s not as popular as the marigolds and the other traditional flowers, it’s an option for Día de Muertos altars.
Inspired by my conversations with the vendors at the market, I decided to travel to Michoacán to see the flower farms in person. When we arrived, I came across Leo Dante, a seven year old, who was struggling to lift piles of marigolds, but who reassured me that he had it all under control. Rumaldo Acosta, 70, who was also working the fields that day, told me, “This tradition will never end. It’s a beautiful tradition full of joy where we remember our loved ones who have left us.”
