WashingtonGardener: Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia) Plant Profile

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia) Plant Profile

Tithonia Plant Profile

Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia spp.) are an annual flowering plant that blooms in bright hues of orange, yellow, and red. The flowers resemble an open daisy and are more similar to marigolds and zinnias than to sunflowers -- in my opinion.

This fun annual plant attracts tons of pollinators to the garden, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

They are native to Central America and are hardy to USDA Zones 9 to 11.

The plants grow from 4-6 feet tall so give them plenty of room. Water them if there isn’t enough rain when they are seedlings, but once mature, they are quite drought-tolerant.

You can fertilize and deadhead them occasionally to encourage repeat blooming, but it is not necessary.

You may need to stake the plants if they are growing in a windy area.

They do not tolerate sitting in wet soil and powdery mildew is an issue if it is grown in climates with high humidity.

Plant the seeds in late spring or early summer in a full sun spot with good drainage. They do well in containers and dwarf varieties such as ‘Goldfinger’ that grow to just 2 to 3 feet high are perfect for this use.

Tithonia is an extremely low-maintenance and rewarding plant. Be sure to save some seeds from this year’s flowers to plant next year.

Mexican Sunflowers: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Videos, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Jackson Wantman

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