This particularly splendid, new, improved, award-winning variety of the Mexican Sunflower is the most compact available.
'Fiesta del Sol' is a dwarf form growing about 75cm (30in) tall that was an All-American Annual winner in 2000 and is easier to use in smaller gardens and is ideal for patio containers or borders.
Early flowering, it produces an abundance of very intense, dazzling orange flowers, each 6 to 8cm (2½ to 3½ in) inches across.
Heat and drought tolerant, this compact variety needs no support. Blooms remain open and attractive for ten days or more, making it an effective cut flower. Plant in full sun, dead-head, and enjoy blooms and butterflies all summer long.

Tithonia loves the sun and is tolerant of hot summer weather and drought, It will also tolerate infertile soil and a fair amount of neglect, giving blooms from mid summer until the first frosts. They are very easy to grow and perfect for new gardeners and children.

The Mexican sunflower is one of the best flowers you can grow for attracting butterflies.
In late summer, a stand of Tithonia may attract a half dozen or more butterfly species with one or more individuals on every single blossom!

Sowing: Sow indoors in Feb to April, or sow directly outdoors in May
For continuity of blooms for cut flowers, sow a succession of sunflowers every fortnight for six weeks in the early part of the growing season. In a hot summer, each cycle from sowing to blooming will take about 60 days.

Sowing Indoors:
For early flowers, start indoors as early as February or March, to germinate in about 10 days at 60 to 65°F. Plant out in April or May. Use 7.5cm (3in) pots and a good sowing compost. Sow one seed 2.5mm (1in) deep per pot. Water and either cover with polythene or bubble plastic to retain the heat, or place pots on a heated bench or in a propagator with the temperature set at 13°C (55°F).
Remove the covers when the leaves appear. Plant seedlings outside when they are large enough to be handled and the root system is well developed. Add garden compost to the soil if it is heavy or infertile.

Sowing Direct:
Plant outside as early as possible to miss heavy frosts, to germinate in about 1 to 3 weeks. Sow seed 5cm (2in) deep and spaced 45cm (18in) apart in borders. Water seedlings regularly and, when growing tall forms, feed sparingly with a liquid fertiliser when 60cm (2ft) high. Avoid splashing water or fertiliser solution on the stems or leaves.
Beware of slugs when they are still young plants and birds stealing the seeds.

Cultivation:
Tithonia must have full sun, but it will grow in average soil with good drainage. It is one of the most heat- and drought-resistant plants, growing reasonably well in soils of low fertility. Plant in the garden after all danger of frost has passed.
Tithonia grow wide and branched, space the plants 45 to 60cm (18 to 24in) apart. Do not overwater.
Protect the plants from high winds and stake them -- this is particularly important in late summer and fall when they are tall and top-heavy. Deadheading during the summer keeps it in bloom through most of the season.
Though not immune from insect attack, it has no serious pest problems not even deer will find the hairy leaves of Tithonia worth eating!

Cut flowers:
Mexican sunflower is beautiful in cut flower arrangements, but the flower heads are borne on fragile hollow peduncles (flower stems) that must be cut carefully with a sharp knife lest they bend and collapse.
Pick flowers early in the day, but wait until the sun has dried the dew. Remove leaves that are low on the stem, leaving just two or three higher up, near the flower's face. Place the flowers in a bucket filled with water, and leave them to stand for several hours in a cool room before placing in a vase. Change the water every few days. Blooms can last up to a fortnight when kept in water.

Plant Uses:
Cottage/Informal Garden, Prairie planting, Flower Arranging, Flowers Borders and Beds or Wildflower Gardens

Origin:
Native to Mexico, the genus Tithonia is made up of eleven species.
Two species, T. diversifolia and T. rotundifolia, are widely cultivated

Nomenclature:
The genus Tithonia was described by a French botanist in 1799 with the name taken from Greek mythology.
Tithonus was a much-loved by Aurora, the dawn-goddess.
It is called by the common name The Mexican sunflower as it is native to Mexico.

Of Interest:
Few plants as large and spectacular as Mexican sunflower can complete two generations in a single summer. In the southern U.S., Mexican sunflower seeds planted in March or April will produce plants that flower and go to seed in June. Those seeds will fall to the ground, germinate, and produce a second generation of flowers that will mature before the first frost in October!