Mexican Sunflower - Can it survive the winter?

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

So, I bought a Mexican Sunflower (a.k.a. Tithonia) from a man in Morrisville who has been successfully growing it for years. He said that his Tithonia comes back year after year, but I recently read that although Tithonia is a perennial in warmer regions it is an annual in ours... Is there something you can do to get it to come back year after year? Heavy mulching, maybe? I really love it and want it to last...

If anyone has any experience with this, please share; any and all help is greatly appreciated!

Best,

Alana

Featured Answer

CasaLester RTP, NC (7b)

11 years ago

We have tons of Tithonia seeds, listed for a couple of years on our Trade List and no one ever wants them :-( . We used it as a space filler while renovating sections of the garden. Tithonia is annual in this area, but it self-seeds so vigorously and the seedlings grow so fast that the end effect is that of a perennial.

Tithonia - a different butterfly bush

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Comments (8)

grassmere
11 years ago
Mine did not survive last year, but they are very easy to grow from seed. I even have a few volunteers this spring.
Alana thanked grassmere
Sabji garden (7b), Raleigh NC
11 years ago
ooh! how beautiful!!

Alana, The color is amazing!! I would love to know where you got the seeds/ plant.
Alana thanked Sabji garden (7b), Raleigh NC
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Alana
Original Author
11 years ago
Grassmere, thanks for your input... I'll keep an eye out for the seeds and hopefully a few will germinate successfully next year! :)

Sabdji, I know, that is why I LOVE this flower!!! It was a fairly mature plant when I bought it, and I got it from a man in Morrisville (name is escaping me). You can email him through his Craigslist add at http://raleigh.craigslist.org/grd/5096057135.html. His garden is amazing, you'll love it!
Sabji garden (7b), Raleigh NC
11 years ago
I just read your link..

Casa Lester, I hope you are coming to the fall swap.I would love to get Tithonia seeds/ seeds heads / plants.. whatever you have at that time... :-)) I will take as many seeds you can spare. I hope I can bring some plant//seeds you would like to have. If not , I always can bring good food!! :-))

So this would be a great addition to my garden. In another thread, I mentioned that i am going to start planting more flowers for pollinators and butterflies...

Any other seeds u think that are easy to grow and come back or are perennial are also welcome.
Alana
Original Author
11 years ago
Well, Lester, dido Sabji; I would love some Tithonia seeds at the next plant swap (which will be my first)! And thank you for the info... I am pleased to hear that it self-seeds vigorously... Means less space will be eaten up in my germinating trays :)
Daisy Dog
11 years ago
Mine self seeds easily
User
11 years ago
I just ordered some on line thanks to this post. LOL I love orange flowers, and hope

they reseed too. Thanks everyone!