Horticulture in the Mexican Culture

The present custom of embellishing temples with plants has its origin in the cultural development of ancestors. The ancient inhabitants of Mexico, sixty-two ethnic groups, have kept their agricultural knowledge along with their beliefs and religious practices. To understand the importance of flora in the life of contemporary native communities, it is necessary to go back to the past and thus enrich our vision with information on the privileged place that flora occupied in prehispanic and colonial Mexico. A variety of codices document Mexican history and plant knowledge. Elements of flora were widely used in all kinds of artistic creations during colonial times. In religious art the artists have expressed in different manners their admiration for God. Several temples, churches, open chapels and posa chapels were richly decorated with floral elements. Currently the cultural richness of towns is also manifested through the fiestas. This study documents the use of ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables and seeds in the State of Puebla (Pue.)and in one locality in the State of Guerrero (Gro.).