This Tithonia got an All-America award for the year 2000. The grower reports that plants do not exceed 3 feet but ours got quite a bit taller than that. What struck us most about Fiesta Del Sol was that it bloomed early, abundantly, and then continued to bloom throughout the summer. The 3-inch daisy-like orange flowers are very attractive in bouquets. Bees and butterflies love them too!

15 seeds

PLANTING

Tithonia rotundifolia

Annual

Germination:7-14 days

Germination Temperature:Optimum soil temperatures 70-80F

Seed Planting Depth:Sow on the surface, seeds need light to germinate

Starting Indoors:Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Provide 70-80F soil temperatures until germination. Transplant 12-24 apart after the last frost.

Sowing Outdoors:Direct sow outdoors after the last frost, only in areas with long growing seasons

Growth Habit:Upright, branching

Height and Width:3-5 x 2-3

Spacing:12-24 apart

Light Needs:Full sun

Soil Needs:Average to poor, dry, well-drained

Approximate days to flower from seed:Blooms in 85-90 days

Uses:Cut flowers, beds and back of borders, cottage gardens, containers and planters, attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, drought tolerant, deer resistant

Care:Deadhead to encourage more flower production. Over-fertilizing will produce plants with more foliage than flowers. Tall plants can benefit from staking.