Semi deciduous tree, with a spreading crown. Grows best in full sun or partial shade; propagates easily from seed. Tolerates a wide range of well-drained soils but prefers acidic soils. Not salt tolerant, or mildly so. A fast-growing tree with seeds that remains viable for more than a year.
Tridax procumbens, coat buttons, is a weed of open disturbed habitats widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions. It is native to Mexico and tropical America but has naturalized elsewhere, partly due to ease of dispersal by wind and as a contaminant in trade. T. procumbens is a common weed of agricultural areas, but also invades natural communities. It is listed on the U.S. federal noxious weed list and considered invasive in several African and Asian countries.