Japanese sunflower

Family: Asteraceae
Scientific name: Tithonia diversifolia
Description: Plant Form: Perennial branching shrub. Size: Up to 5 m tall. Usually under 3 m. Stem: Robust, striped or ridged, hairy when young. Leaves: Greyish green oval-shaped with 3 or 5 pointed lobes. 7-33 cm long, with toothed edges and pointed tips. Finely covered in hairs. Flowers: Typical sunflowers 10-19 cm wide bright yellow with a yellow centre and up to 15 yellow petal-like florets. In groups at the end of branches. Fruit and Seeds: Dry, black or mottled, 5-6 mm long, rhomboidal, and with a ring of scales and 2 awns on top. Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, coastal scrub, forest edges, riparian areas. Distinguishing Features: Flowers are yellow compared to orange or reddish in Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia). Leaves are lobed unlike Wild sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Weed Status: Other Weed Weed Type: Environmental Lifeform: Herbaceous

Example images for this weed