Mexican Sunflower

Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia) is a bold, fast-growing annual native to Mexico and Central America that commands the summer garden with its striking 3–4 inch orange-red daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centers — a vivid, fiery display of tropical intensity that few other annuals can match in sheer visual drama. Towering plants produce an abundance of brilliantly colored blooms on tall, branching stems from midsummer through fall, creating a spectacular back-of-border presence that brings an unmistakable burst of exotic energy to any garden setting. The velvety, soft-textured foliage and bold, upright habit make Tithonia as structurally impressive as it is floriferous, earning its well-deserved reputation as one of the most dramatic and impactful warm-season annuals available.These Professional Grade 4" plants are grown to the highest nursery standards, delivering strong, well-rooted transplants that establish quickly and grow with impressive speed and vigor in warm summer conditions. Mexican Sunflower thrives in full sun with average to lean, well-drained soil and is exceptionally tolerant of heat and dry conditions — thriving in the hottest positions in the garden where it delivers maximum impact. Its towering height and vivid orange-red blooms make it an invaluable back-of-border accent, a living privacy screen, and a premier cutting flower for bold summer arrangements. Vivid Orange-Red Tropical Blooms: Striking 3–4 inch orange-red flowers with bright yellow centers produce a bold, fiery tropical color display from midsummer through fall — one of the most vivid and visually dramatic warm-season annuals available. Towering Back-of-Border Impact: Fast-growing plants reach impressive heights of 4–6 feet in a single season, providing dramatic vertical structure and bold tropical presence in the back of borders, cutting gardens, and landscape plantings. Premier Butterfly & Pollinator Magnet: Vivid orange blooms are irresistible to monarch butterflies, swallowtails, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects — one of the finest annual plants for supporting late-season butterfly populations. Outstanding Cut Flower: Long, sturdy stems and long-lasting, vividly colored blooms make Tithonia one of the finest annual cutting flowers for bold summer and fall arrangements — stunning in mixed bouquets with zinnias, salvias, and grasses. Heat & Drought Tolerant: A true heat-lover that thrives in the hottest, sunniest garden positions with minimal supplemental irrigation — performing best in warm, dry conditions with excellent drainage. These 4" healthy live plants thrive in full sun with average to lean, well-drained soil. Water regularly until established, then reduce to occasional deep watering. Frost-sensitive — plant after all danger of frost has passed. Blooms midsummer through the first hard frost. Deadhead regularly to encourage continuous new bloom production. Mature height 4–6 feet with a spread of 2–3 feet. Stake in exposed, windy locations. Outstanding for back-of-border plantings, cutting gardens, and butterfly-focused summer displays.