Mexican Sunflower is an annual grown for its blooms, which open from summer through fall. Notably, it shrugs off deer and shrugs off dry spells. Its flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Zones
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pH Range
5.5-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
80
Score Mexican Sunflower on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether mexican sunflower actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score mexican sunflower against your land's real conditions.
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What Mexican Sunflower is
Mexican Sunflower grows as an annual and reaches around five feet at maturity. It blooms from summer through fall. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Mexican Sunflower
Mexican Sunflower does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,800 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 70 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
Data pending
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Days to Maturity
80 days
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
1800+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
5 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
70+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant mexican sunflower in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Mexican Sunflower prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut mexican sunflower blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — mexican sunflower isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Mexican Sunflower is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society.)
Where Mexican Sunflower thrives
Whether mexican sunflower thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.
See if Mexican Sunflower will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether mexican sunflower actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Mexican Sunflower in my zone?
Zone data for mexican sunflower is being finalized. A Growable Ground report checks your parcel's full suitability against federal soil, climate, and zone data.
When should you plant Mexican Sunflower?
Most growers plant mexican sunflower after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 70-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Mexican Sunflower need?
Mexican Sunflower needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Mexican Sunflower need?
Mexican Sunflower prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Mexican Sunflower attract pollinators?
Yes — mexican sunflower's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. (Source: Xerces Society.)
Is Mexican Sunflower safe for pets?
Mexican Sunflower is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)