Uses: Tagetes oil is valuable in keeping insects at bay, and can help with parasitic and fungal infestation. It is used for chest infections, coughs and catarrh, dilating the bronchi, facilitating the flow of mucus and dislodging congestion and can be used in cases of skin infections. It has a healing effect on wounds, cuts, calluses and bunions.

Description: Tagetes is a weed with deeply divided deep-green feathery leaves and numerous yellowish-orange carnation-like flowers. The leaves and flowers are a good insect repellent and are often seen hanging from native huts to deter swarms of flies and mosquitoes. It is an ingredient of many foot treatment preparations and is also used in some perfumes and tobacco compounds. In India the Marigold is known as Gendu the leaves of which are used to heal conjunctivitis, cuts and scratches and bruises. The fresh leaf is ground up, the juice is squeezed and applied a few drops at a time to the affected part. The flowers are also used as an offering to the Lord Vishnu.