Exposure Full-sun
West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada. We regret, we cannot accept returns or damages for orders outside of Canada. The minimum shipping charge to the US is $9.99.
For every order online, we donate a pack of seeds to gardens and communities worldwide through our Seeds of Growth program, supporting sustainable growth and local food systems.
Tithonia rotundifolia. Mexican Torch seeds produce exceedingly bright orange flowers atop massive plants that grow to 1.8m (6') in just a few months. Tithonia does not produce edible flowers, and is not a true sunflower. Grown in large containers (3-5 gallons minimum), plants will stay more compact, growing only to 60cm (24") tall. Tithonia is highly attractive to pollinators, including hummingbirds, and looks great when planted in big clumps or rows. The seeds are easy to collect and dry for future planting, and the massive stalks from the plants can be used for trellising peas or pole beans the following year. Mexican Torch won an AAS Award in 1951.
Annual
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Latin
Latin
Tithonia rotundifolia
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun
Timing
Timing
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, and transplant out once night time temperatures are reliably above 10°C (50°F). Seeds germinate in 5-14 days.
Starting
Starting
Sow seeds on the surface of the soil under bright lights, and maintain a soil temperature of 21°C (70°F). Seeds can be direct sown outdoors in spring, but well after last frost, and only where winters are mild.
Growing
Growing
Stake plants, particularly in windy areas, and water only during prolonged dry weather. Plant in full sun, allowing 60cm (24″) between plants. Any light soil will work.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, and transplant out once night time temperatures are reliably above 10°C (50°F). Seeds germinate in 5-14 days.
Sow seeds on the surface of the soil under bright lights, and maintain a soil temperature of 21°C (70°F). Seeds can be direct sown outdoors in spring, but well after last frost, and only where winters are mild.
Stake plants, particularly in windy areas, and water only during prolonged dry weather. Plant in full sun, allowing 60cm (24″) between plants. Any light soil will work.
