Wednesday's Story

Take a look with me…

At the fluorescent, orange petals that jut out from the bottom of the yellow stamen crown. They are vibrant, curved and look as if they would be soft to the touch, and they are. Then my eye is drawn to the outer right and left petals and I’m perplexed by their softer, paler color. For the many, many times I have looked at it, I didn’t realize, until I sat down to write its story, that the color difference is because I was seeing the underside of those two petals. Perspective is everything! Was it obvious to you? Lesson learned…

The lesson for me to learn from this Mexican Sunflower: I need to take a deeper and harder look before making any judgement.

points of interest

Bright orange to orange-red flowers with a yellow center disk and soft, fuzzy stems are borne on robust and branching plants. Leaves are long, lobed and have hairy undersides. Flowers summer through autumn, and are great for cutting and adding height and color to a mixed or annual border.

general care

Grow in well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Shelter from strong winds or provide support. Deadhead to promote flowering and habit.

friday’s flower fact

The Mexican Sunflower is named after Tithonus, a young man loved by the dawn goddess, Aurora.