Name: Tithonia rotundifolia aka Mexican sunflower
Type of Plant: An annual for full sun that grows four to six feet high.
Why I love this: I love orange flowers, and this one has orange-red blooms in spades. It’s a plant that attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. This annual loves hot places and tolerates drought. And it plays well with others! You can use this in a mixed flower border, either planted in groups in the back of the garden or integrated with other flowering plants in a mixed-height, field style planting.
Tithonia makes a good cut flower and the plants will be most sturdy when grown in full sun.
A Word to the Wise: This is an annual that you’ll want to deadhead. Clip off the spent flowers as they go by to encourage branching and continual flowering into the fall.
This annual isn’t commonly found in garden centers so if you want to grow it you can easily start your own from seeds.
Here is how I planted Tithonia in my Annual Alley this year. It keeps up with the Nicotiana (Only the Lonely) and towers above (but doesn’t shade) the Zinnia, Ageratum, marigolds and Salvia.
A simple shape, and a bright color that holds up in hot sun.
I do LOVE Tithonia/Mexican sunflower too! Didn’t start my seeds till late may and not as tall or flowering yet.
Generally mine will start blooming later in August and reach higher than 6 feet! 🙂