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.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Deltoid; Ovate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Serrate
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
3-12 inch long oval to triangular leaves have hairy undersides. Some leaves may be 3-lobed, margins are serrate to crenate
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Good Cut; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
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.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruits are brown achenes, in a round spiky mass.