Starfire Mix marigolds, along with their relatives of the Tagetes genus, are annual plants native to Mexico and Central America, popular for their delicate, tiny, single, golden-to-orange flowers, lacy foliage and dwarf habit. There are many reasons why marigolds are used widely as an old-fashioned bedding plant: They are hardy and easy to grow – a leading companion plant that repels pests, and their flowers and leaves have a superb citrusy flavour. Beyond being a common decorative plant, one of the most striking uses for the plant is in ‘Day of the Dead’ celebrations in Mexico, where they are called Flores de Muerto.