How to Grow Mexican Sunflower
Tithonia rotundifolia
Your complete guide to growing Mexican Sunflower.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsWhen to Plant Mexican Sunflower
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May – June | July – September | — |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – August | — |
| Zone 3 | April – May | June – August | — |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – July | — |
| Zone 5 | March – April | May – July | — |
| Zone 6 | March – April | May – July | — |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – June | — |
| Zone 8 | February – March | April – June | — |
| Zone 9 | January – February | March – May | — |
| Zone 10 | January | February – April | — |
| Zone 11 | January | January – March | — |
| Zone 12 | January | January – March | — |
| Zone 13 | January | January – March | — |
Companion Plants for Mexican Sunflower
✓ Good companions
Fix nitrogen in soil while benefiting from sunflower's tall structure for support
Attract beneficial insects and complement tall growth habit
Benefit from partial shade provided by tall sunflower stems
Thrives in partial shade created by sunflower's large leaves
Repel nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial insects
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Mexican sunflowers attract pollinators that benefit tomato fruit set
Create pollinator corridors and share similar growing conditions
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth of most garden plants
Releases allelopathic compounds that stunt growth of nearby plants
Compete for similar nutrients and may exhibit allelopathic effects on each other
