Mexican Sunflower Tithonia rotundifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- tih-THO-nee-ah ro-tun-dih-FOH-lee-ah
- Description
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The Mexican Sunflower is an annual in the aster family that is native to Mexico and Central America. It is fast-growing reaching 3-6 feet with plenty of orangy-red 3-inch blooms that attract bees and butterflies from mid-summer to fall. Plant in full sun in average well-drained soils. This plant does best in poorer soils and may need staking due to its tall size. It is deer and drought tolerant
Use this plant in the back of the border in cutting gardens, drought-tolerant gardens and pollinator gardens. Dead-head to prolong the bloom season. Mexican Sunflower can be started from seed after the last frost date or purchased as plants.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Tithonia
- Species:
- rotundifolia
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico and Central America
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts butterflies, bees and hummingbirds
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Tolerates deer, drought, heat, and dry soil.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits are brown achenes, in a round spiky mass.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are showy up to 3 inches across. Orange-red ray flowers surround the orangy-yellow disc flowers from July to fall. Deadhead to prolong bloom.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Deltoid
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3-12 inch long oval to triangular leaves have hairy undersides. Some leaves may be 3-lobed, margins are serrate to crenate
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Slightly ridged and hairy stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Patio
- Pool/Hardscape
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
