Family: Asteraceae

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Naturalized on Hawaii Island and widely naturalized elsewhere
  
• A disturbance and crop weed (but no documented impacts in Hawaiian Islands to date)
  
• Other Tithonia species are invasive weeds
  
• May be allelopathic
  
• Possibly unpalatable to deer
  
• Tolerates half-shade
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Forms dense stands in Africa
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Hybridizes with other Tithonia species
  
• Reaches reproductive maturity rapidly (2+ months from seed)
  
• Seeds dispersed by animals, water and on clothing, Also spread in dumped garden waste and contaminated agricultural produce
  
• Prolific seed production

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Provides fodder for cattle
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Ornamental
  
• Self-incompatible
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control
  
• Does not tolerate cutting or slashing