Mexican sunflower

Tithonia diversifolia is 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) in height with upright and sometimes ligneous stalks in the form of woody shrubs. Leaves are sub-ovate, serrate, acute, 10 to 40 cm long, simply or mostly 3-7 lobed, somewhat glandular, and slightly grayish beneath. The leaves of the plant alternate in sides they grow on, which is where the plant gets the name diversifolia. The large, showy honey-scented flowers are yellow to orange colored, 5–15 cm wide and 10–30 cm long. Flowering occurs mostly from April to June. Its seeds are spread through way of wind, water, and animals. The seeds are achenes, 4-angled, and 5mm long.

In Japan, towards the end of the Meiji Period, they were imported as ornamental plants although seldom cultivated there. Having a characteristic bitter taste, they were used to induce a fever to help fight poisoning, although not used for direct medicinal purposes. There is also the story of the species being introduced to Japan by Nitobe Inazo, hence its Japanese name, the Nitobe chrysanthemum (ニトベギク; Nitobegiku). It is the official symbol of Da Lat city, Vietnam. They are sold in herbal medicine markets in Taiwan. It is the provincial flower of Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. T. diversifolia may increase phosphorus utilization in soil when it is applied as a green manure. In East African sugarcane fields, their flowers are used to attract beneficial arthropods as a biocontrol strategy.

Tithonia diversifolia can grow in many different environmental conditions. It has a moderate drought tolerance. It is ideally grown in areas with an annual rainfall ranging from 1000–2000 mm and a temperature of 15-31 degrees Celsius. This plant does not require a large amount of nutrients. As a weed it spreads rapidly, which allows its use as a forage crop in grazing or cut-and-carry systems.

This plant was originally domesticated in Mexico and spread to other parts of Central and South America and north into the United States. It was brought over to parts of Africa and Asia as an ornamental plant and has become an invasive weed that is widely spread. It is most commonly found in areas with an altitude between 550m and 1950m. It is commonly found scattered among rivers and roadsides.} In Asia and Latin America this plant is also referred to as kembang bulan (Indonesian and Javanese), jalacate (Spanish), buatong (Thai) and dã quỳ (Vietnamese). While T. diversifolia has moderate drought tolerance, the amount of rainfall that the African subtropics receives may not be enough to support the growing of this biomass. T. diversifolia currently grows in humid and semi humid areas in Africa. However, no evidence was found to suggest that it had been attempted in desert conditions.