How long will the Day of the Dead flowers stay with us?

It is hard to imagine Mexico's Day of the Dead without the radiant orange glow of the cempasúchil. For generations, it has accompanied the holiday, defining its mood and culture. While it is becoming an increasingly popular ornamental plant worldwide, it has nonetheless fallen into serious trouble on traditional Mexican farmlands. More and more farmers are reporting that extreme weather and urban expansion are fundamentally altering cultivation opportunities. Tagetes erecta is more than a flower; it is a sacred symbol that, since Aztec times, has guided souls to altars. In the outskirts of Mexico City, in the Xochimilco canal system, it is as important a part of local identity as farming on the chinampas. For local farmers, the Day of the Dead season is the most significant source of income, so any crop failure is a direct threat to their livelihoods. In recent years, sudden downpours and prolonged dry periods have become more frequent, radically disrupting the usual growing ...