Torch Sunflower

Best monarch attraction in garden. Every day 3 - 12 monarchs for over a month in mid / late summer Wisconsin. Blooms lasted 4- 8 weeks dependent on weather

My favorite summer flower! These keep blooming over a long period, and they attract lots of hummingbirds as well as butterflies.

I wish I could post a picture!!!! Mine is orange!! BEAUTIFUL!!!

Very fast growing and readily grows 4 to 5 feet tall, great attractor of Monarch Butterflies, I have Monarchs that basically live on these flowers and they are quite large!

Plant it and they will come! Tiger Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails, Monarchs and hummingbirds are always busy on my Tithonia from mid-July to frost (Chicago suburbs). This is a tall lanky plant so I put it in the back row 2 - 3 feet apart and place a 4 foot tomato cage over each seedling I transplant. The plants thrusts its branches out the sides of the cage and grows another foot or two past the top so it is anchored against our Midwest winds while the cage is totally camoflaged by the large lobed leaves. I start the seeds in covered trays on Mother's Day weekend and enjoy good germination rates. I am also delighted by the occasional volunteer that reseeds. I think 2018 was the first year I bought Tithonia seeds from Seedsavers (along with rue seeds) and my butterfly garden will never be without again. As an added plus, these absolutely GLOW in the late evening sun. Rodents don't bother them, they thrive in heat and tolerate clay soil and drought. What is there not to love?

This flower gives us so much joy! This flower is truly a butterfly and bumblebee magnet and easy to grow. I doubled down this year by starting some indoors; I planted these seedlings in straw bales and created wall of blooms! Never fails to bring a smile to my face to see the monarchs attending to these. I plan to leave the stalks up for winter interest and for the birds.

I grew these in very dry conditions in Minneapolis and was so pleased. Many stems are over 5 feet tall and are still full of flowers coming into October. The Monarch butterflies love the plants.

I’ve grown these flowers for the past 4 years, but last year was the first year I planted them in the ground. WOW! One of the plants grew over 8ft tall! The numerous blooms were abuzz with bees all summer and fall. The butterflies liked it too. I left them over the winter and the birds love to perch on it as they wait to visit our feeders. I will definitely grow again!