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Marigold :Latin name:Tagetes
erecta has many medicinal uses.It should not be confused with Dandelion or Calendula which may be similar but have different medical properties.
It is also called Genda phool in hindi, Banti puvvu in Telugu and Zandu in a few Indian languages.
- It is used as a natural food coloring.The extracts of the flowers are used as a food additive for coloring agent in industries.
- It's flowers are used in face packs.The flowers are made into a paste with honey and applied on the face for a glowing complexion.
- It is used for repelling insects and pests in fields.Insects and even some kind of mosquitoes do not attempt to live around this plant.So they are planted in between crops in fields.
- It is also a natural rain indicator.They bloom usually in the mornings but if they are closed shut or become compact it indicates stormy weather ahead.