Tithonia diversifolia - Just say NO

[Missi]

I did not heed the warnings.  Oh how I should have heeded the warnings! 

A few years ago I planted several cuttings to hold the ground in place on the slope of my house pad and to use as private screening. Also, the birds love it, butterflies and hummingbirds love the blooms, and the leaves are constantly falling and amending my soil (read: sand). Didn't trim it back for a year and a half. Many tall stems blew over in the hurricane. It quickly roots from fallen stems. I spent 4 hours trimming it back yesterday and only got like an 8'x5' area cleared. 

[Silas_Sancona]

  On 10/30/2017 at 2:16 PM, Missi said:

I did not heed the warnings.  Oh how I should have heeded the warnings! 

A few years ago I planted several cuttings to hold the ground in place on the slope of my house pad and to use as private screening. Also, the birds love it, butterflies and hummingbirds love the blooms, and the leaves are constantly falling and amending my soil (read: sand). Didn't trim it back for a year and a half. Many tall stems blew over in the hurricane. It quickly roots from fallen stems. I spent 4 hours trimming it back yesterday and only got like an 8'x5' area cleared. 

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No way,  I say yes! Lol  ..

Totally understand how messy they can get if not thinned/ cut back every so often but enjoyed being able to use them as cut flowers this time of year ..and the Honey- like sent, let alone all the bees they attracted. Leaves/ dried out stems make awesome mulch.. Several articles about using them as a cover crop in Africa, I believe..

Wish I still had acouple.

[Missi]

  On 10/31/2017 at 12:59 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

No way,  I say yes! Lol  ..

Totally understand how messy they can get if not thinned/ cut back every so often but enjoyed being able to use them as cut flowers this time of year ..and the Honey- like sent, let alone all the bees they attracted. Leaves/ dried out stems make awesome mulch.. Several articles about using them as a cover crop in Africa, I believe..

Wish I still had acouple.

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Do you want some cuttings? I can mail you some. I have more than enough to share! We had feral populations of it all over town and some at the zoo, so silly me took cuttings from each clump for genetic diversity 

I do love how quickly the dried leaves and stems dry out and break down, though.

[fastfeat]

Not sure if this is on the FL invasives lists or not. I believe that there are some sterile clones, because it seems well-behaved in some locations; in others it is rampant.

I would not recommend sending green material to AZ to prevent transferring unwanted pests, not necessarily of Tithonia, but others that may be hiding in/on stems, leaves. Not trying to preach, but please use caution.

[Missi]

  On 11/2/2017 at 12:23 PM, fastfeat said:

Not sure if this is on the FL invasives lists or not. I believe that there are some sterile clones, because it seems well-behaved in some locations; in others it is rampant.

I would not recommend sending green material to AZ to prevent transferring unwanted pests, not necessarily of Tithonia, but others that may be hiding in/on stems, leaves. Not trying to preach, but please use caution.

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Nope, not listed as invasive in Florida 

Here's an interesting article on the plant! Meet the Amazing Giant Sunflower that Fixes Bad Soil 

[Manalto]

I'm reviving this thread (it's getting to be a habit) to mention Tithonia rotundifolia, AKA Mexican Sunflower. Despite its name, leaves are lobed, vaguely reminiscent of edible fig. In Connecticut, it was a satisfying summer annual, about 4' tall and wide. In Gulf-coast Alabama, its width is the same, but it has shot up to 10' in height.

It works well as a temporary privacy screen near the property line while woody plants get established and has performed so well it will probably be back as a regular summer addition in full sun. Pollinators like it. Freely-produced blooms are deep orange, which I prefer to the screaming school-bus yellow of many other sunflowers. The downside may be susceptibility of the foliage to powdery mildew in our rainy, humid climate. We shall see as the days get shorter.

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Manalto

[Silas_Sancona]

  On 8/15/2021 at 10:20 AM, Manalto said:

I'm reviving this thread (it's getting to be a habit) to mention Tithonia rotundifolia, AKA Mexican Sunflower. Despite its name, leaves are lobed, vaguely reminiscent of edible fig. In Connecticut, it was a satisfying summer annual, about 4' tall and wide. In Gulf-coast Alabama, its width is the same, but it has shot up to 10' in height.

It works well as a temporary privacy screen near the property line while woody plants get established and has performed so well it will probably be back as a regular summer addition in full sun. Pollinators like it. Freely-produced blooms are deep orange, which I prefer to the screaming school-bus yellow of many other sunflowers. The downside may be susceptibility of the foliage to powdery mildew in our rainy, humid climate. We shall see as the days get shorter.

 

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This is another " Summer Annual " you'll see in Monsoon season gardens out here, esp. in/ around Tucson / further south  that adds a nice tropical / Highland Mexican forest kind of feel to a garden.  Just wish it were a perennial vs. annual.. though it will seed itself ( if the Finches / Sparrows, etc seed eaters don't eat them all ).

As for the " regular " Mex. Sunflower, while listed as the same sp. there's a somewhat different looking " sub " species that is pretty common around here. Leaves look different / doesn't seem to get as tall / grow quite as aggressively.  Flowers look a little different also, and don't recall the obvious, fairly strong Honey-like scent of the flowers on the plants here.

[Manalto]

  On 8/15/2021 at 4:13 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

As for the " regular " Mex. Sunflower, while listed as the same sp. there's a somewhat different looking " sub " species that is pretty common around here.

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Confusion once again with common names. This thread discusses T. diversifolia.  Different species, unless I misunderstood.

[Silas_Sancona]

  On 8/15/2021 at 8:37 PM, Manalto said:

Confusion once again with common names. This thread discusses T. diversifolia.  Different species, unless I misunderstood.

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Both the red and yellow sp. are commonly called " Mexican Sunflower " Yellow is the " Regular " / most commonly known species. The one i was referring to that is seen here is a distinctly different looking variant of the common sp.  T. diversifolia.  ( We also have a native sp. here as well < much smaller flowers though > )

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/132451-Tithonia-diversifolia

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/169780-Tithonia-rotundifolia