Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia): Seven Butterflies Under Its Sweet, Orange-Scarlet Allure

Tithonia rotundifolia is commonly known as Mexican sunflower. Its full scientific name is Tithonia rotundifolia (Mill.) S. F. Blake (1917). Tagetes rotundifolia Mill. (1768) is its basionym (Greek: βάσις, basis, "step" + ὄνυμα, -onuma, "name"), which is a previously published scientific name upon which a new name later is based for purposes of taxonomy (Greek: τάξις, taxis, "arrangement" + νομία, nomia, "method"). Other scientific synonyms are Helianthus speciosus Hook. (1834) and Tithonia speciosa (Hook.) Griseb. (1866).

Distribution: Mexican and Central American native with hardy versatility

A native of Mexico and Central America, Mexican sunflower is an annual that has garnered worldwide acclaim for its universal adaptability, drought and heat resistance, and resplendent colors. With a robust spread of up to 2 feet (0.6 meters) and a congenial height of 3 to 6 feet (0.9 to 1.8 meters), Mexican sunflowers blend comfortably with private and public gardens.

As a member of the aster-daisy-sunflower family Asteraceae, Mexican sunflower characteristically presents two types of florets (French: florette, diminutive of flor, "flower"), that is, small individual flowers. Disc florets are tubular-shaped miniatures burgeoning from the center of the flower. Ray florets ring the circle of disc florets with showy ligulae (Latin: ligula/lingula, "strap," from lingua, "tongue"), that is, tonguelike or strap-shaped rays.

Orange to scarlet ray florets contrast aesthetically with yellow disc florets. A generous diameter of around 3 inches (8 centimeters) provides sufficient space for joint sipping by several nectarivores.

Downy fuzz gently blankets the thick, long stems and velvety soft leaves, which measure 3 to 12 inches (8 to 30 centimeters) in length.

Popular cultivars include 'Torch', a strapping 6-foot variety with rich, vivid orange-red flowerheads, and 'Fiesta del Sol', an early blooming, compact dwarf, about 3 feet (0.9 meters) in height, with dazzlingly profuse orange flowerheads.

Mexican sunflowers are favored by hummingbirds and butterflies alike. Devoted butterfly visitors include:

• monarch (Danaus plexippus),
• queen (Danaus gilippus),
• Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus),
• olive hairstreak (Mitoura grineus),
• painted lady (Vanessa cardui),
• long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus),
• cloudless giant sulphur (Phoebis sennae).

Monarchs: quintessential butterflies

In North America, monarchs flutter throughout the United States and southern Canada. As the only migratory North American butterfly, monarchs yearly follow ancient flyways, whereby eastern and midwestern monarchs are destined for central Mexico while western monarchs overwinter along California's central and southern coasts.

A New World native of iconic stature, monarchs are honored as the state butterfly of Vermont and West Virginia and as the state insect of Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota and Texas.

Tawny orange wings are defined by black veins and black margins, spotted with rows of white. White spots splash across the forewings. Their wingspan measures 3.375 to 4.875 inches (8.6 to 12.4 centimeters).

Associated with milkweeds (genus Asclepias), monarchs also enjoy butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), ironweed (genus Vernonia), lilac (genus Syringa), and zinnia (genus Zinnia).

Apart from a few lookalike species, monarchs (Danaus plexippus) are so eminently recognizable and so chromatically familiar that their color scheme, so engagingly beautiful in its sparkling simplicity, and their flight, so lilting in its graceful certitude, virtually connote the quintessence of butterfly charms and perfection.

Queen butterflies: smaller monarch lookalikes

Although smaller and darker, queen butterflies (Danaus gilippus) are reminiscent of monarchs (Danaus plexippus), fellow milkweed butterflies in the subfamily Danainae, with whom they also share a passion for Mexican sunflower nectar.

Queens traverse the extreme southern United States from southern California to Florida by way of the Gulf of Mexico coastal states. Occasionally queens expand their territory north to the Great Plains and the Midwest.

Queenly wings are orange-brown outlined in black with white spots. Forewings, that is, wings closer to the head, also are speckled with white spots. Their wingspan measures 2.625 to 3.875 inches (6.7 to 9.8 centimeters).

In addition to Mexican sunflowers, queens are enticed by butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), ironweeds (genus Vernonia), and zinnia (genus Zinnia).

A New World native, Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) holds sway throughout the eastern and midwestern United States, ranging from southern Vermont south to Florida and the Gulf Coast states and west from eastern Texas up through the Great Plains.

The Eastern tiger swallowtail is honored as the state butterfly of Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, and South Carolina and as the state insect of Virginia.

Males have yellow wings, outlined with yellow-spotted black margins and black veins. Four black stripes cap each forewing. The inner black margins of hind wings are emblazoned with a row of red and blue splotches. Their wingspan measures 3.5 to 6.5 inches (9 to 16.5 centimeters).

Female Eastern tiger swallowtails, being dimorphic (Greek: δι-, di-, "two" + μορφή, morphē, "form"), have two forms distinguished by coloration, one of which is similar to the male. The other coloration, a dark morph, mimics the dark forewings and iridescent blue hind wings of the unpalatable pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) in order to deter predators.

Eastern tiger swallowtails welcome sylvan landscapes in rural, suburban, and urban settings, with deciduous (Latin: deciduus, "falling off") trees whose parameters of spring budding and autumn shedding parallel this butterfly's adulthood.

Eastern tiger swallowtails often fly high to seek solitary freedom above the forest canopy.

In addition to Mexican sunflowers, Eastern tiger swallowtails relish butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), ironweed (genus Vernonia), milkweed (genus Asclepias), oregano (Origanum vulgare), and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).

Mitoura grineus is commonly known as olive hairstreak butterfly. A scientific synonym is Callophrys gryneus (Hübner, [1819]).

A North American native, olive hairstreaks are found in the eastern United States.

Olive hairstreaks have delicately colored olive brown wings with white and rust accents. Their petite wingspan daintily measures around 1 inch (2.6 centimeters).

Olive hairstreak quietly blends into habitats with bluffs, open fields, and dry, rocky expanses. Olive hairstreak has the nickname of Juniper because of its devotion to junipers (genus Juniperus) in the coniferous (Latin: conus, "cone" + ferre, "to bear"), that is, cone-bearing, cypress family Cupressaceae. In its habitats, which feature bluffs, open fields, barrens, and dry or rocky open places, olive hairstreak never strays far from its beloved junipers, which are the hosts for its larval stage as a caterpillar. Its larval coloring, deep green body, interspersed with lighter markings, perfectly camouflages the hungry larva against the juniper's similarly shaded needles.

In addition to Mexican sunflowers, olive hairstreaks partake of nectar from butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), hyssop (genus Agastache), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), and zinnia (genus Zinnia).

Vanessa cardui is commonly known as the painted lady butterfly.

Painted ladies are nicknamed cosmopolitans, for their worldwide distribution in temperate and tropical areas, and thistle butterflies, for their affinity for the lovely, noble, purple-tinted flowers of thistles, flowering plants mostly in the family Asteraceae.

Painted ladies have a mosaic of orange, brown, and black coloring with dashes of white on their forewings.

Their wingspan usually measures 2 to 2.875 inches (5.1 to 7.3 centimeters).

In addition to the Mexican sunflower and the love of its life, thistle, painted ladies favor nectar from butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus).

Urbanus proteus is commonly known as long-tailed skipper butterfly.

Long-tailed skippers range from Argentina north through Central America and into

the southern United States from southern California eastwards through the Gulf Coast states and Florida. The openness of transition from the edges of woodlands to open fields characterizes their habitats.

Long-tailed skippers elegantly shimmer with a central blue iridescence that radiates into brown with white to buff flecks. Their wingspan measures 1.75 to 2.3125 inches (4.5 to 6 centimeters).

As caterpillars, their prime host plant is green beans (genus Phaseolus), also known as French beans, runner beans, snap beans, and string beans. In fact, this larval stage typically melds itself with its host plant, literally rolling bean leaves around themselves for pupation (Latin: pupa, "doll"), the stage of transformation into a dazzling beauty. The message of the long-tailed skipper could very well be that green beans link to beauty!

In addition to Mexican sunflowers, long-tailed skippers are attracted to bougainvillea (genus Bougainvillea), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), ironweed (genus Vernonia), and verbenas (genus Verbena).

Phoebis sennae is commonly known as cloudless sulphur butterfly.

A New World native, Phoebis sennae ranges from Argentina north to the southern United States, often sweeping up further north through the eastern and midwestern states.

Cloudless sulphurs are a lemony vision of soft yellow with irregular dark borders and outlined spots on forewings and hindwings. Their wingspan measures 2.25 to 3.125 inches (5.7 to 8 centimeters).

Like lemony suns in a clear sky, cloudless sulphurs pursue an unimpeded range, delighting in the open freedom of gardens, abandoned fields, parks, and shorelines.

In addition to Mexican sunflowers, cloudless sulphurs savor bougainvillea (genus Bougainvillea), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), hibiscus (genus Hibiscus), and marigolds (genus Tagetes).

Mexican sunflowers beguile the well-known stars of the butterfly world, such as monarchs and Eastern tiger swallowtails, as well as other, lesser known beauties. One and all are entranced by the Mexican sunflower's alluring flowers and mellifluous nectar. Moreover, Mexican sunflowers promote camaraderie in partaking its wares through its generously sized flowers which allow for several nectar imbibers at the same time. Not only are various butterfly species known to occupy the same flower but butterflies and hummingbirds share their floral treasure as well.

Certainly Mexican sunflowers, in full floral array, are never ignored, never lonely. On the contrary, Mexican sunflowers welcome a multitude of nectarivores daily. Also, their bright and sunny flowers almost seem to glow as their hues of orange to scarlet are vivified by the rainbow tints and shades of their pollinators. Indeed, the promise which a Mexican sunflower makes to every garden, and which it dutifully and easily fulfills, is that it is a floral beacon for faunal visitors and, as such, it transforms every garden into a visual paradise.

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Aston Township, southeastern Pennsylvania: Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Tiger_Swallowtail_Papilio_glaucus_Female_2838px.jpg

Urbana, east central Illinois: Dori, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Urbana_Illinois_park_20070928_img_2123.jpg

Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cambridgeshire, east England: Magnus Manske, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tithonia_rotundifolia_(Compositae)_leaves.JPG

Butterfly Rainforest, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, north central Florida: Ironman11, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Datei:Butterflies_UFmuseum.jpg&filetimestamp;=20070515232538

Aston Township, Delaware County, southeastern Pennsylvania: Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Tiger_Swallowtail_Papilio_glaucus_Feeding_6800px.jpg

"Olive" Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus gryneus): Megan McCarty, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Juniper_Hairstreak,_Megan_McCarty105.jpg

Painted Lady in August: Joaquim Alves Gaspar (alvesgaspar), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Butterfly_August_2008-3.jpg

Long-tailed Skipper in November: John Seaborn Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheops/4090910265/
*photographer changed name from John Seaborn Gray to Clotworthy Skeffington

Saddle Creek Park, Polk County, central Florida: pondhawk, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phoebis_sennae,_Cloudless_Sulphur,_Saddle_Creek_Park.jpg

Wailuku, northwestern Maui: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Starr Environmental @ http://www.starrenvironmental.com/images/image/?q=24340475934

"fiery skipper butterfly on Mexican sunflower": Dr. Thomas G. Barnes/USFWS Headquarters, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/5746292154/

Allied Arts Guild, Bay Area, northern California: ClatieK, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/clatiek/2888473815/

Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia) 'Torch' flowering: ClatieK, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/clatiek/2766220211/

American Horticultural Society. A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1996.

Christman, Steve. "Tithonia rotundifolia." Floridata > Plant Profile List. Last updated 09/03/06. Floridata.com LC:  Jack Scheper. Web. www.floridata.com

• Available at:  http://www.floridata.com/ref/t/tithon_r.cfm

"Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae (Linnaeus, 1758)."  Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Phoebis-sennae

"Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus Linnaeus, 1758."  Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-glaucus

Flora: A Gardener's Encyclopedia. Volume II: L-Z. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2003.

"Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus (Hübner, [1819])."  Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Callophrys-gryneus

"Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus (Linnaeus, 1758)."  Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Urbanus-proteus

"Monarch Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758)." Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-plexippus

Ortho's All About Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies. Des Moines, IA: Meredith Books, 2001.

"Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Linnaeus, 1758)."  Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-cardui

"Queen Danaus gilippus (Cramer, 1776)."  Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org

• Available at:  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-gilippus

Roth, Sally. Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds to Your Backyard. Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 2001.