Tithonia Goldfinger

Tithonia rotundifolia 'Goldfinger' Mexican Sunflower 'Goldfinger' (RHS AGM)

The late-summer butterfly magnet — vivid deep orange-red velvety flowers with brilliant golden centres on a compact 60–90cm plant that creates a hedge-like architectural presence in August and September. Tithonia 'Goldfinger' holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit for outstanding late-summer butterfly biodiversity, and is widely considered one of the single best plants for attracting butterflies to the UK cottage border.

If you've ever wanted to bring Red Admirals, Peacocks and Painted Ladies into your garden in numbers, Tithonia 'Goldfinger' is the variety to grow. This compact selection of the Mexican Sunflower produces spectacular suede-textured velvety flowers in a vibrant shade of deep orange-red, each centred with a brilliant golden eye. The blooms glow with the intensity of a setting sun, providing architectural and tactile drama to the late-summer garden. The petals have a luxurious suede-like texture, while the hollow stems are covered in a soft tactile downy fuzz — Tithonia is genuinely one of the most tactile plants you can grow. RHS Award of Garden Merit. Half-hardy annual (H2). One of the most remarkable features is the "Shrub Effect" — Tithonia is capable of rapidly creating a substantial hedge-like mass of foliage topped with dozens of flowers in just a single season, providing late-summer architectural presence that fills the gap as earlier summer plants wind down.

A note on growing

Tithonia has two specific cultivation requirements that distinguish it from other annuals:

1. The "Sulk Warning" — never plant into cold soil: Tithonia is a Mexican heat-seeker. If planted out too early into cold wet May soil, it will turn yellow and "sulk", often refusing to grow. Wait until June when the soil is genuinely warm before transplanting. Patience is essential.

2. Staking is non-negotiable: despite their robust appearance, Tithonia stems are hollow and brittle. They must be supported with stakes at planting time, or grown in blocks where they can lean on each other to prevent snapping in wind or heavy rain. Install supports as you plant — not when stems are tall and fragile.

Sowing: surface-sow March–May at 20–25°C. Maintain warm consistent conditions. Germination 7–14 days. Pot on as seedlings develop. Harden off carefully and plant out in JUNE in full sun. Space 45–60cm apart.

Ongoing care: Tithonia is relatively drought-tolerant once established but consistent moisture increases flower production. Avoid very rich or heavily-manured soil, which promotes leafy growth at the expense of flowering. Ordinary well-drained border soil with a fortnightly liquid potash (tomato) feed from July is the optimal nutrition regime.

Where it shines

In late-summer cottage borders as the plant for August-September butterfly action — Red Admirals, Peacocks and Painted Ladies arrive in numbers and feed continuously on the broad flat-topped flowers. As an architectural back-of-border anchor for late-summer drama. In hot-toned cottage colour schemes where the deep orange-red provides serious warm intensity. As cut flowers for warm-toned autumn arrangements (with proper stem-conditioning — hollow stems need careful handling).

Plant alongside

The textbook hot-border combination: pair Tithonia with Rudbeckia 'Marmalade' for the fire and earth border — the deep orange-red of Tithonia paired with the glowing golden-orange of Marmalade creates a smouldering display perfect for August and September. With Zinnia 'Lilliput Mix' for the Mexican heat-seekers combination — both love the same hot sun and plenty of water; the tight pompom heads of Lilliput Zinnias provide a wonderful shape contrast to the large Tithonia daisies. With Cosmos 'Sensation Dazzler' for matching crimson cottage drama.