Mexican sunflower
Tall annual with orange flowers from late summer to frost; heavily visited by bees and butterflies, giving late-season nectar and pollen.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 1-2 m
- Life cycle
- Annual
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The Mexican sunflower is an annual ornamental from Mexico and Central America that loves heat and sun and can grow up to two metres tall. The yellow disc florets in the middle of its bright orange ray florets are much visited by bees and butterflies. Its nectar and pollen contribution is moderate; since it is not sown over large areas, its effect on honey yield remains limited.
Flowering
Sown in late April-May, it starts at the end of July and lasts 2-3 months, until the first frosts.
Honey and pollen
There is no monofloral honey. The pollen loads are yellow.
Note for the beekeeper
It tolerates hot, dry summers and also does well on poor soils. To ease the autumn dearth around the apiary it can be sown in rows in front of hedges or along garden edges. It is very sensitive to frost; do not sow early, before the soil has warmed up.