The Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) grew 20 feet tall over the summer, but now that autumn is here, all but the uppermost leaves have died back. Standing below, the effect is kind of Dr Seussian, a forest of towering sticks with a few green feathers sticking out the top.
My Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) had grown tall and leggy in the shade of the trees in the upper yard over the past few months. It was basically like looking at a forest of sticks with flowers 15 feet in the air, so I whacked the plants down to a couple feet tall. Now it's like looking at a hedge row of sticks, but it'll be green and leafy again by spring. In the meantime, my wife has some nice [keep reading...]
Many years ago a local grower friend of mine gave me a few "Mexican Sunflower" (Tithonia) seeds. Little did I know that this particular variety is also known as the "tree sunflower" and, unlike true sunflowers, is a perennial down here in zone 9. It blooms continuously from March to November and over the years has spread into alarge showy plant about 15-20 feet (5-6 meters) high and equally wide. Best part is it requires almost no maintenance. Each winter [keep reading...]
