Abstract The essential oils from the leaves and flowers of Tagetes erecta L. cultivated in Nigeria were examined by GC and GC/MS. Piperitone (50.7%), piperitenone (13.2%) and (E)-Î²-ocimene (6.7%) were the predominant components in the leaf oil. The flower oil was characterized by the presence of 1, 8-cineole (23.1%), Î±-pinene (11.8%), Î±-terpineol (10.7%), piperitone (8.0%) and sabinene (5.6%) as the major compounds.