bold orange

I have a kind of love/hate relationship with my Tithonias.

On the one hand, I love their bold colors, and that the flowers attract bees,

butterflies, and hummingbirds (which sadly I have never yet got a photo of- one day I will!) They also last into fall if I keep clipping the dead flower heads off.

But I always start to dislike their appearance near the end of summer. Lots of the lower leaves start to wilt and turn black and hang all ugly. It really makes them look ratty. I don't know if its cold that does this, or not enough water, or what. Haven't been able to figure it out so my next plan is to make Tithonia a background plant (which it should be anyway) next year, so something planted in front of it will hide the mess of dead foliage.