Don’t miss it! Día de los Muertos is coming up on November 1 and 2! Explore the different ways families honor deceased loved ones through Día de los Muertos floral arrangements. You can find tips for caring for marigolds this fall on our website.
What is Día de los Muertos?
“The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.”
Why are marigolds typically used for celebrations?
Sugar skulls aren’t the only thing symbolic for Día de los Muertos—so are marigolds! Marigolds are often used to decorate the “ofrenda,” or altar. Why are marigolds used specifically? According to dayofthedead.holiday, “Marigolds are believed to be the pathways that guide the spirits to their ofrendas. The flower’s vibrant colors and scent attract the departed souls, as they return to feast on their favorite foods. They are called ‘Flor de Muerto’ (Spanish for Flower of Dead) and they symbolize the beauty and fragility of life.”
Explore more fun facts about the Day of the Dead at Dayofthedead.holiday, a website specifically dedicated to Día de Muertos and where all content is provided by professional writers in Mexico who are eager to share about the holiday!
Day of the Dead Altar at the Arnosky’ Blue Barn
Many Certified American Grown members participate and contribute to Día de los Muertos festivals and celebrations all over the U.S.! For more than 15 years, Mellano & Company in Oceanside, CA has donated altar flowers to the city’s celebration. Be sure to keep an eye out for American grown flowers and foliage if you’re attending these festivals and celebrations!
For those near the Blanco, TX area, Texas Specialty Cut Flowers, also known as the “Marigold Capital of Texas,” celebrates Día de los Muertos with beautiful “ofrendas” and Day of the Dead displays throughout their farm. This is a wonderful time of year to visit the farm and walk the flower fields to marvel in the beauty—something many families have been doing for years!
Their self-serve Blue Barn is also open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and sells fresh-cut flowers that can be used for decorating ofrendas, vegetable and herb plants, potted flowers, barn-fresh eggs and more! If you’re in the area, be sure to also check out Blanco’s first-ever Texas Marigold Festival from October 23-30.
“These flowers [marigolds] are as important as Christmas trees, poinsettias and Easter lilies, not only for Día de los Muertos, but also for Indian/South Asian traditional holidays—including the ‘Festival of Lights,’ Diwali, which falls on November 4th this year,” said Pamela Arnosky, who owns Texas Specialty Cut Flowers with her husband, Frank. “This year, we will be shipping more than 30,000 bunches to stores around the state through HEB Grocery store floral departments…We are all in this together, part of building beauty and community through flowers and respect for all cultural traditions.”
If you’re looking for marigolds near you, search our directory of farmers and wholesale partners here and filter by marigolds in the “varieties” section!
If you’ll be using American grown for your Día de los Muertos floral arrangements or attending any festivals or celebrations with American grown, tag us on Instagram! We’d love to see how you’re celebrating the Day of the Dead. If you’re interested in keeping up with new updates and events from America’s flower and foliage farmers, be sure to join our email list!
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