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Tagetes minuta

Tagetes minuta

L.
Chinchilla

Family: Asteraceae
Order: Asterales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Phylum / Division: Magnoliophyta
Kingdom: Plantae

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Description


Tagetes minuta is a tall upright marigold type of plant from the genus Tagetes, with small flowers, native to the south western half of South America. Since Spanish colonization, it has been introduced around the world, and has become naturalized in Europe, Asia, Australasia, North America, and Africa. Tagetes minuta has numerous local names that vary by region. In the Andes it is known as Huacatay or Wacatay, and in other regions it is common as chinchilla, chiquilla, chilca, zuico, suico, or anisillo. Other names include Muster John Henry, southern marigold, khakibos, stinking roger, wild marigold, and black mint. It is called the Quechua terms huacatay in Peru or wakataya in Bolivia.

It is used as a culinary herb in Peru, Ecuador, and parts of Chile and Bolivia. It is commonly sold in Latin grocery stores in a bottled, paste format as black mint paste.

 This species of marigold may grow to become from 0.6–2 meters tall.

Uses: Tagetes minuta has been eaten in various forms since pre-Columbian times. Dried leaves may be used as a seasoning and huacatay paste is used to make the popular Peruvian potato dish called ocopa. An herbal tea can be brewed from the leaves. An extraction of the plant, "Marigold oil", is used in the perfume, tobacco, and soft drink industry.

In addition to food, the plant can be used to produce dye, and as a green manure crop for biomass and a bio-fumigant for control of selected species of nematodes.

Toxicity: The oils contained in the oil glands that are found throughout the above ground portions of the plant may cause irritation to the skin and in some cases are said to cause photodermatitis.

Source: Wikipedia, article Tagetes minuta. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





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Foto
Photography ID: 451488
  Adult

Anillaco
La Rioja
Argentina
03/21/2015
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 451486
  Adult

Anillaco
La Rioja
Argentina
03/21/2015
Ramón Vera



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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
142006321/03/2015ArgentinaLa RiojaAnillacoRamón Vera
Page 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Tagetes minuta – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 15/09/2026.