The Mexican sunflower is an annual in the aster family, native to the arid regions of Mexico and Central America. The bushy herb is heat and drought tolerant and can reach a height of 1.5 to 3 m. Showy flowers are produced from mid-summer until frost.
The Mexican sunflower has round, bright orange-red flower heads up to 90 mm across. They are terminal on main and side branches, solitary on long stalks above rounded, velvety leaves. The fruits are brown achenes, in a round spiky mass that is brown in color.
The flowers are attractive to a wide variety of bees and butterflies, and can be used as cut flowers.