Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia)

Others have posted photos of their sunflowers, so I thought I'd post some of mine, even though they're in the ground rather than a square foot bed. These are not actual sunflowers, but rather tithonia or Mexican sunflowers. They love heat and humidity and don't mind growing in sand (although they prefer some enrichment and consistent watering). This is a clump of 4 or 5. Some of them are over 7 feet tall, and the clump is at least 8' in diameter.


This is a closeup of some of the blooms.


The plants are surprisingly shallow-rooted so it's best to stake them, but I tend to forget about it until we have a late-season heavy rainstorm and the next thing I know, they've fallen over, LOL! It's easy to correct, though.

One of the great benefits of growing Mexican sunflowers is that butterflies are crazy for the blooms! Hummingbirds and all kinds of other beneficials also come to sip the nectar.

As with Malabar spinach, this is one of those annuals you only have to buy seed for once. After than, they will seed themselves liberally, and transplant well as long as you keep the seedlings moist while they settle into their new space. I give away dozens of seedlings every spring.

Let me know if you would like some seeds for next year!

I just love sunflowers.
They can brighten up any day.

HOW PRETTY!!!!!!

That is just gorgeous, junequilt! Thank you so much for the pictures. I've been thinking that I'd love to grow some Mexican sunflowers, but now I realize I don't have room for them. Good to know.

They really are pretty. I had forgotten about them. I grew some years ago and they were at the edge of my big garden. It was dangerous at times because the bumble bees absolutely loved them. They swarmed the tithonia. I think I'll try to find some seed at Walmart or Lowe's next week since I'm trying to build my bee population back up. I'll just be careful where I plant them this time. Thanks for jogging my memory.

Mexican Sunflower blooms are tremendous! They attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds from June to first frost in Middle Tennessee, which was the 31st October in 2020, with little to no maintenance.  If you want to assist pollinators in late season, this would have to be one of my top choices.

Those are gorgeous!  I had forgotten about them, but I grew them many years ago and the bees went bonkers for them.  Fortunately, we had a bee hive relocate to a tree about 200 feet from our garden last summer.   I would be interested in a few seeds.

As for malabar spinach, does it taste like regular spinach?

Happy Gardening!