Himalayan Huacatay (Peruvian Black Mint)

Tagetes minuta Approximately 50 seeds per packet Packed for 2025 Himalayan Huacatay (Tagetes minuta), also known as Peruvian Black Mint or wild marigold, is an aromatic herb native to South America. It's widely used in Andean cuisine, especially in Peru and Bolivia, for its unique flavor that combines elements of mint, basil, anise, and citrus. It is also valued for its medicinal properties and its use as a natural pest repellent. Our huacatay seeds were grown out at The Seed Farm at Princeton. Huacatay thrives in temperate grasslands and was historically utilized by civilizations as a medicinal and culinary herb. Over time, Huacatay spread through natural occurrences and human intervention, expanding the species into the jungle and coastal regions of South America. The Spanish introduced the species worldwide sometime after the 16th century, as they carried seeds of the plant to Africa, North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe.  We produced these seeds in collaboration with the Seed