The Legend and Love Story of the Cempasúchil Flower

Día de Muertos, celebrated from November 1-2, is one of the most beloved holidays in Latin America. Celebrated in Mexico and across Latin America, the holiday of remembrance honors the deceased and has grown in popularity in the U.S. through films including Disney’s Coco and The Book of Life. The cempasúchil, better known as Flor de Muertos or marigold, is a beloved symbol of Día de Muertos as a central part of the holiday’s traditions and festivities. The vibrant flower is native to Mexico and known for its unique smell and orange color. It’s commonly used in ofrendas, or altars, to guide the souls of the departed back to their families and loved ones in the world of the living because of its bright color and scenet. But did you know about the romantic origin legend behind the golden flower?

The legend of the cempasúchil dates back to pre-Columbian times and tells the story of two kids named Xóchitl, meaning flower in Nahuatl, and Huitzilin, meaning hummingbird. The duo were childhood friends and shared everything together; as they grew older together, they eventually fell in love. Seeking a blessing for their love from Tonatiuh, the Sun God, they climbed up the mountain where the sun shone the most and left flower offerings for the Indigenous deity. Seeing their pure adoration for each other warmed Tonatiuh, and he blessed their love and approved their union.

After the war came, Huitzilin had to leave and join other warriors on the battlefield, and he was killed, leaving Xóchitl absolutely devastated. Overwhelmed with grief, she ran to the mountain and begged Tonatiuh to reunite her with her lover. Moved by her emotion and sorrow, Tonatiuh transformed her into a beautiful cempasúchil flower and then reincarnated Huitzilin into a hummingbird.

The legend says that the flower bud remained closed for a time and never flourished until a hummingbird approached it, leading it to finally open up and reveal its bright orange hue and powerful scent. To this day, its believed that as long as the cempasúchil blooms when hummingbirds continue to visit, Xóchitl and Huitzilin’s love persists.

The flower has become a crucial part of Día de Muertos celebrations and as such, large cempasúchil displays are common around this time of year, and the flower is a staple in traditional ofrendas across the U.S. and Central America, sometimes even placed on the ground to create a path to ofrendas for returning souls to follow.