Tithonia diversifolia (Mexican sunflower)
Asteracece

General

Fact sheet about Tithonia diversifolia

Annual or perennial herb or shrub to 3 m. Leaves alternate; petiole up to 7 cm; lamina narrowly ovate to obovate, usually deeply 3-5-lobed (rarely entire), scabrid; base cuneate; apex acuminate; margin crenate, crenate-serrate or entire. Peduncles 1 cm in diameter below capitulum. Phyllaries in c.4 series. Rays up to 6 cm, yellow. Pappus of short, 2 mm, scales, connate below, with 2 longer setae. A weed of roadsides and waste places.

Plant parts with insect-controlling properties
Flower buds

Mode of action

Target organisms
Oriental fruit fly

Preparation and application
A 10% extract is made by boiling the flower buds in water. This killed 85% of the fruit fly within one hour.

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