Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia)
Tithonia rotundifolia
Family Asteraceae
When migrating monarchs pass through in fall, they choose Mexican sunflower over nearly everything else in the yard. Blazing orange daisies on a shoulder-high bush, opening nonstop from midsummer to frost, in exactly the hot, dry, lean spot where other annuals give up.
Sow a few seeds after frost and it does the rest, reaching shoulder height in weeks with zero pampering — rich soil only makes it flop. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds work the flowers; birds take the seeds after. One hot, dry corner is all the invitation it needs.
Where to buy mexican sunflower (tithonia) — 5 nurseries compared
Full Sun
Low water
Very Fast growth
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing mexican sunflower (tithonia)? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries mexican sunflower (tithonia) — Tithonia rotundifolia, print Nº 479, “Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia).”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what mexican sunflower (tithonia) actually needs.
Life cycleAnnualMexican Sunflower (Tithonia) · Common problems
Common mexican sunflower (tithonia) problems
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) · Growing & propagation
Growing mexican sunflower (tithonia)
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Low
Thrives in heat and drought
Soil- Any, even poor
Lean is fine · pH 6.0 - 7.5
Fertilizer- None
Rich soil = floppy giant
Pruning- Deadhead for more bloom; stake in wind
If you plant one thing for monarchs, consider this — vivid orange daisies on a big fast bush that butterflies (especially migrating monarchs), bees, and hummingbirds mob from summer to frost. It revels in the hottest, driest, poorest spot you have (rich soil just makes it flop). Great cut flower. Direct-sow after frost; it grows shoulder-high fast. A pollinator magnet with knockout color.
Spacing- 18-24 in
How to plant & propagate mexican sunflower (tithonia)
Maturity- 80-100 days
From seed- Direct-sow after frost
Fast and huge
- Propagate
- From seed
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) · Yearly calendar
The mexican sunflower (tithonia) year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomJune to August
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Tithonia rotundifolia
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer annual
- Nectary/insectary
- Attracts
- Hummingbirds, Butterflies, Bees
Habitat- Dry/rocky
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What mexican sunflower (tithonia) is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Use- Monarch magnet
- Use
- Hot/dry color
- Use
- Cut flower
- Use
- Fast screen
Harvesting & storing mexican sunflower (tithonia)
Seeds feed birds. About 80-100 days from planting.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a mexican sunflower (tithonia) variety
'Torch' (classic orange, 5-6 ft); 'Goldfinger' (compact 3 ft); 'Fiesta del Sol' (dwarf, early)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia)
Tithonia rotundifolia
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Tithonia rotundifolia
- Plant family
- Asteraceae
- Growth habit
- Annual
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- TIRO
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) questions, answered straight.
Is mexican sunflower (tithonia) safe for kids and pets?
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest mexican sunflower (tithonia)?
Seeds feed birds. From planting, expect about 80-100 days to maturity.
How do you propagate mexican sunflower (tithonia)?
From seed.
Elsewhere
Where mexican sunflower (tithonia) sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily