Mexican Sunflower
Yellow Torch Mexican Sunflower is a vibrant heirloom that brings bold, cheerful color to gardens from summer through fall. This cultivar of Tithonia rotundifolia grows to a commanding 6 feet tall with a 3-foot spread, producing striking golden-yellow blooms that arrive 84 to 98 days from seed. Thriving in full sun with minimal water once established, it's a drought-tolerant powerhouse that rewards gardeners with weeks of continuous flowers while drawing pollinators like bees and butterflies into the garden.
Full Sun
Low
9-11
72in H x 36in W
Perennial
Moderate
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Yellow Torch is a variety that demands attention without demanding much care. Its tall, architectural habit and prolific golden-yellow flowers make it a natural focal point in late-season gardens when many other plants are fading. Unlike its sprawling relatives, this cultivar maintains a tidy, upright form that fits well into borders and doesn't require constant deadheading to keep blooming. Once established, it shrugs off dry spells and poor soil, making it ideal for gardeners who want impact without fussiness. The extended bloom window from June through November ensures color when you need it most.
Yellow Torch Mexican Sunflower is primarily grown as a cut flower and garden ornamental. Its tall stems and long-lasting blooms make it excellent for fresh arrangements, and gardeners cultivate it specifically to attract pollinators to vegetable and ornamental gardens throughout the summer and fall months.
Sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Keep soil temperature at 70 to 75°F until germination, which typically occurs in 5 to 10 days, then reduce the growing temperature to 60°F. Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost has passed.
Move hardened-off seedlings to the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Space plants 2 inches apart in full sun with well-draining soil.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after your last frost date where plants are to grow.
Cut flowers when the blooms are fully open and the petals have achieved their rich golden-yellow color. Harvest in early morning for the longest vase life. Remove spent flowers to encourage continued blooming throughout the season.
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