BLOOM ATTRACTS VISITORS AS HOLIDAY APPROACHES
Fields of cempasuchil flowers, used for Dia de los Muertos, get buyers, admirers
There’s no Dia de los Muertos without cempasuchil flowers (marigolds), and as this Mexican holiday is fast approaching, many are flocking to colorful flower fields in Baja California.
Those who celebrate Day of the Dead are looking for this traditional flower to decorate altars as a way to remember and honor their deceased loved ones.
In Baja California, the fields where the flower is harvested opted to open to the public so that the community can, in addition to buying the flowers, visit the site to capture the moment.
That’s the case for the Cempasuchil Tijuana flower field. The idea to open the fields bloomed last year, after fears that the annual harvest would go to waste because the pandemic.
“It was mostly an accident,” said the site’s manager, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Oscar. “Because of the pandemic, the flower distributors did not want to buy from us because there was uncertainty as to whether they were going to be able to sell it, so with the harvest ready, we decided to invite the public.”
Due to the overwhelming response, operators decided to do it again this year, adding more activities for the whole family.
The yellow and orange colors from the cempasuchil flower can be seen from a distance, in addition to sunflowers and cockscomb flowers, which make up the over 322,000square-foot fields.
The characteristic smells of these flowers do not go unnoticed as you walk through each section of the fields. Many visitors seize the opportunity to take beautiful Dia de los Muertos-themed photos.
“It is the perfect landscape for this season,” said Diana Arechiga, who wore Catrina attire and makeup.
Photographer Carlos Olaez,
agreed, as he considers the site to be ideal for capturing images that honor this tradition.
“The fields are magnificent. This environment and nature are always the perfect scenario,” he said.
The sowing of the flower starts in July to be at its best by the end of October. Generally, the marigolds are acquired mainly by flower shops in Tijuana and from other cities in Baja California.
Cempasuchil Tijuana is open daily through Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is 50 pesos (around $2.50). You can find it on Google Maps as Cempasuchil Tijuana.
In Rancho El Carrizo in Rosarito, there’s another cempasuchil field that is popular among locals: Rancho Los Carrisos.
“It attracts a lot of attention as the date arrives since the f lower is at its peak,” said Gonzalo Esquivel, who added that they have been planting the flower for six years.
Outside of the season, they are dedicated to fruits and vegetables.
Recently, Esteban Soto
visited with with his wife to buy flowers to place altars both in his house and in his restaurant.
“We came here because we saw it on Facebook, and
we wanted more than anything to support local businesses,” he said.