Alchemica Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) This is one that spoke to me at the community garden the other day. Enough to want to grow some, as an addition to my garden, companion plant and medicinal tea option. It's a Tagetes, I'm thinking T. erecta.They had sacred status with the Aztecs. I've never tried the more psychoactive version, has anyone here explored to good healing effect? I did make a tea out of a few flowers of this one. Pleasant taste. Mexican marigold resonates with the energy of the sun While Tagetes lucida has a psychoactive action and has been used ceremonially and may be drunk as a tea to promote visions, Tagetes erecta, the marigold, is not just a flower or companion plant, it has ethnomedicinal use. The T. lucida grows at the local Botanic gardens. Might have to explore. Tagetes erecta has promise in the treatment of various ailments, the flower parts of plants have hepatoprotective, anti-oxidant, anti-seizure, antidepressant/anxiolytic and analgesic activity. Data support the anxiolytic and sedative-like properties of T. erecta in traditional medicine by involving mainly serotonergic neurotransmission because of the presence in part of flavonoids and the terpenoid β-sitosterol. Serotonergic, nitrergic pathway, and sigma receptors are possibly involved in mediating antidepressant action of T. erecta. It's a good source of carotenoids (mainly xanthophylls), too. The flowers of Tagetes erecta is considered to be effective in the treatment of epilepsy as in Ayurveda Keen to know if anyone's explored the 'less psychoactive versions' medicinally? Edited March 8, 2018 by Alchemica 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crop Posted February 12, 2018 Sorry can't help with medical uses, but have lived in a place with really aggressive nemotodes. No one could grow much of anything and this in a remote spot with a definite shortage of fresh veg. I planted a large area to several varieties of Tagetes, then interplanted. It did well for several years, until a cyclone flooded it with sea water. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterboy 2.0 Posted February 12, 2018 (edited) Been some studies on tagetes sp in bioremediation (accumulation) as well, metals mostly I recall. Edited February 12, 2018 by waterboy 2.0 Re 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anodyne Posted February 12, 2018 Never looked into the psychoactive ones, but I know some Tagetes (mainly T.patula) are used in Georgian cooking - dried ground petals are used to give certain spice blends their yellow colour & earthy flavour - a little like turmeric is used in Indian curries, I gather? The petals have also been used to make fake saffron threads. I also remember reading that certain of the [pesticidal?] compounds are photo-activated, and can cause photosensitive skin reactions on some people - that may be something to watch out for if handling fresh material. And if you ever have leftover tea, you can always use it to germinate seeds in: "...results showed that marigold species can be used as a potential organic priming agent" 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alchemica Posted March 8, 2018 I've got a few T. erecta now - another 'medicinal potted colour' Using Tagetes erecta flowers, sometimes used as a food colour, as a healing dietary addition is nice on many levels. I have a few different ones, some have stronger flavour, others have a super mild flavoured edible flowers that make awesome colourful garnishes that just bring sunshine to your salad, aesthetically and in their chemistry and pharmacology. I'm now getting self-sufficient in having a good healing salad addition growing in my own garden. . I prefer to spruce my salads with them. Not just additional colour 'radiating with the energy of the sun' to brighten your day but flavonoids, triterpenoids and healing carotenoids with CNS benefits and whole body healing effects. Better that way than tea, the taste is mild but pleasant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Infinity Posted March 8, 2018 These plants are nothing short of amazing and have a variety of medicinal uses. The Mixe of Oaxaca drank a potent stimulating tea made from 9 flowers of Tagetes Lucinda for divination purposes. The Aztecs had a smoking blend called 'Zempaxochitl' which was made up of equal part Tagetes Erecta and Tagetes Lucinda. The Huichol Indians in Mexico smoked a mix made up of equal parts of Tagetes Erecta, Tagetes Lucinda and Nicotiana Rustica. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
