Monarch Butterflies Hold a ‘Torch’ for Tithonia

Tithonia rotundifolia ‘torch’, Tithonia speciosa ‘torch’

Mexican Sunflowers get Monarchs in the Mood for More Garden Visits- a Top 5 Butterfly Garden Plant. — Love ‘Mexican’ Style

Plant Specs:

Annual plant (perennial flower for USDA hardiness zones 10-11)
Tithonia diversifolia is hardy to zone 9a
Full sun to part shade
Height: 4 to 6 feet
Spacing: 3 to 4 ft
Flowers: vibrant orange, red or yellow
Blooms summer to first frost

Plant Propagation:

Start seeds indoors 1-2 months before final frost
Sow seeds directly after final frost
Buying plants is a good option for colder regions
T. diversifolia can be started with stem cuttings

Mexican Sunflowers bloom all summer long and are an Absolute Favorite Nectar Flower for both Magnificent Monarchs and Hyper-winged Hummingbirds. — Orange Brilliance

Pros:

Long bloom period
Dark green leaves make a striking contrast with bright flowers
Tall plants make it easy to view butterflies
Easy to start from seed
No serious pest issues
Attracts a wide variety of pollinators
Attracts swarms of migrating monarchs

Cons:

Must be regularly deadheaded
Flower heads often broken by birds

From Florida to Minnesota, the bright orange blooms of Mexican sunflowers are a favorite lnectar source for magnificent monarch butterflies. More photos, video, info, and seeds... — Photo Courtesy of Linda Dunbar-Orgain, Fl.

‘Torch’ Growing Tips:

If you're a northern gardener, don't waste valuable bloom time by sowing Mexican sunflower seeds after final frost. Start spring sowing containers for early germination or buy plants. Your garden will be rewarded with a bounty of butterflies... — Minnesota Mexican Sunflower in Early June…with a head start!

These need heat to germinate and really take off. If you live in USDA hardiness zone 6 or below, buy plants or start seeds in a spring sowing container 1 month before final frost.
Deadhead every 2-3 days for a bounty of beautiful blooms.
Our largest Mexican Sunflower eclipsed 8 feet last year…grown in morning sun and partial afternoon shade.
Try an all-purpose fertilizer to boost initial plant growth
Average water needs. Don’t overwater.
Stake tall plants to avoid toppling over or
Cut back plants to encourage bushier growth (This puts less pressure on the base of the stalk, and the plants will grow into each other adding further support.

I know several gardeners who have lost magnificent (8′ plus) Mexican sunflower plants to wind events because they didn’t preventatively stake or cut back plants. Considering all the pollinators this attracts, it’s a devastating loss to the butterfly garden 😭

Hummingbirds Love Torch Tithonia and pretty much ignore the hummingbird feeder once these brilliant orange blooms unfold. — Summer Hummer

Pollinator Plus:

This nectar plant also attracts bumblebees, eastern tiger swallowtails, eight-spotted forester moths, fritillaries, giant swallowtails, honeybees, hummingbirds, painted lady butterflies, pipevine swallowtails, skippers, spicebush swallowtails, sulphurs, queens, and more… (If you know of others, please comment below.)

It's not unusual to see multiple monarchs feasting on the nectar-rich blooms of Mexican sunflowers....a must have annual for a successful butterfly garden! — A Feast for the Eyes

Resources:

The ‘Torch’ cultivar has been widely reported by butterfly gardeners to attract lots of butterflies, but some of the lesser planted varieties might bring home the butterflies too.

There are also dwarf varieties if you’re seeking smaller plants. In my experience, they did not attract many pollinators so if you decide to experiment, make sure to also get some of the regular varieties listed below listed as tithonia rotundifolia or speciosa

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