Another Flower Mystery

Post Reply
User avatar
GoDawgs
Reactions:
Posts: 3739
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:38 am
Location: Zone 8a, Augusta GA

Another Flower Mystery

#1

Post: # 22920Unread post GoDawgs
Fri Jun 19, 2020 3:47 pm

Yesterday I happened to notice that of the six Tithonia Mexican sunflowers I planted, one is definitely different. Five have a rather open habit with orange flowers. The sixth one (on the left) is pretty vertical and more dense with leaves that are a lot larger.

Image

Some internet sleuthing turned up some help in identification. There are two genera of Tithonia. What is usually sold as Mexican Sunflower or Torch Flower is Tithonia rotundifolia that has orange flowers and can get 4-6’ tall.

Image

However, Tithonia diversifolia has a woody stem, yellow flowers and can get 6-9’ tall! It's basically a weed in that it readily self-sows. It's already taller than the other five. That might be what the sixth plant is:

Image

What I found most interesting is that the diversifolia can be used as a green fertilizer either by mulching with it or burying it because it has the ability to make fertilizer in the soil. Used as a fertilizer, this Tithonia’s NPK is 1.76% N, 0.82% P and 3.92% K.

If those flower buds open to yellow flowers, the mystery might be solved.

HenriSportif
Reactions:
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2020 10:59 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Another Flower Mystery

#2

Post: # 40146Unread post HenriSportif
Fri Feb 05, 2021 8:02 am

What happened, [mention]GoDawgs[/mention] ? Were they what you supposed? And did it break down well?
~Bee

This then is life - How curious! How real! Underfoot, the divine soil - Overhead, the sun.

User avatar
GoDawgs
Reactions:
Posts: 3739
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:38 am
Location: Zone 8a, Augusta GA

Re: Another Flower Mystery

#3

Post: # 40150Unread post GoDawgs
Fri Feb 05, 2021 8:35 am

When all was said and done, it turned out that they were all the same thing with nothing special about any of them. The big one must have been a really happy plant and just grew faster than the others which later caught up to their precocious row mate. :D

Post Reply

Return to “Annuals”