The plant is native to Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras,Nicaragua, Panama and US. The amazing sunflower boast of stunning orange or reddish flowers which set it apart from other sunflowers.

It is heat and drought tolerant. In Zimbabwe it grows as a weed and is found in most if not all provinces of the country.

The Mexican wild sunflower popularly known as Muborasango is traditionally used in various cultures for its medicinal properties. These include treating wounds, infections, and even malaria.

In Zimbabwe and most parts of Africa many people eat the leaves as vegitables and do taste as pumpkin leaves.

Studies have shown that the sunflower carries some properties which are antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, chemopreventive, hepatoprotective,repellent, antimalarial, anti-diarrheal, antiemetic, radical scavenging, phytoremediative, biolarvicidal properties.

According to Maundu P. and Bo Tengnas. (2005), studies have shown that in America it has been used for treatment of abscesses, infections, snake bites, malaria, and diabetes.In Africa, infusion used for constipation, indigestion, sore throat. In Venezuela, used for treatment of abscess.

In Mexico it is used to treat malaria, hematomas, and muscular pain. In Taiwan, used for diabetes. In Kenya, used for malaria and as antidote for snake bite and to treat ectoparasites in cattle.

In Uganda, used by farmers for field and storage pest management.

Many people do ask how is it used as a medicine

The leaves are used as a medicine for constipation, stomach pains, indigestion, sore throat and liver pains. The leaves should be ground into small pieces, mixed with water, and then the juice drunk. It is also used in treating skin diseases (such as athlete’s foot), night sweats, as a diuretic, hepatitis, jaundice and cystitis.

Other uses

Fodder: it is a suitable species for fodder for cows and goats. The leaves, soft branches and even the plant’s yellow flowers can be eaten by animals as fodder. Tithonia has a high nutrition value

Fuel: Tithonia provides farmers with firewood of it burns up quickly.

Manure; Biomass from the existing locally available shrubs of tithonia that commonly grows on the fields and farm boundaries might be a more economic source of nutrients for crops than the biomass from planted trees as they grow faster and are readily available.

To the farmer it is important to note that the sunflower is a great soil improver especially maize is known to respond well when leaves and cuttings are applied.

Inter-cropping: Tithonia has a positive effect on crop yields when inter-cropped.

So next time when you come across this attractive and distinct sunflower kindly make use it.
Information Source Links
Maundu P. and Bo Tengnas. (2005). Useful trees and shrubs for Kenya, World Agroforestry Centre. ISBN-9966-896-70-8.