Family: Asteraceae
High Risk Traits:
- Broad climate suitability
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Naturalized on Hawaii Island. Widely naturalized elsewhere
- Potential disturbance and crop weed
- Other Tagetes species are invasive weeds
- Allelopathic
- Toxic to dog
- May cause dermatitis to susceptible people
- Tolerates many soil types
- Reproduces by seeds
- Self-compatible
- Reaches maturity in <1 year
- Seeds dispersed by animals (internally and externally), intentionally and accidentally by people
Low Risk Traits:
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Provides fodder for livestock (palatable despite reports of toxicity)
- Ornamental
- Requires full sun
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Herbicides may provide effective control