Gardening 101: Mexican Sunflower
Photography by Kier Holmes.
Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifolia
Every spring I patiently wait for nurseries to sell 4-inch starts of tithonia.
Tithonia growing in my mother’s yard.
Native to Mexico and Central America, tithonia is an annual that is worth its cost, as it quickly makes a statement with its bright orange blooms flowering mid to late summer and continuing until your first frost.
Plus, I find that I can leave it alone for a while if I give it a long, good drink of water.
Monarch butterflies flock to my potted tithonia.
Tithonia can reach heights up to 6 feet, maybe more if it’s happy; make sure to plant it in the back of beds and borders so that it doesn’t block other beauties.
Cheat Sheet
Tithonia growing among other tall, stately annuals.
• Makes a bright cut flower for arrangements.
• Provides nectar for beneficial insects and birds, including butterflies and hummingbirds. I even get to admire monarchs as they come to dine.
• Some great companion plants that also appreciate full sun are: Icelandic poppies, cosmos, zinnias, and verbena.
• Plant a few in the cutting garden or toward the back of your garden bed.
• If you choose a dwarf variety, try tucking them into smaller pots.
A pale swallowtail feasting on tithonia.
Keep It Alive