Copy permalink to share
Asteraceae
Helianthus

not marked as a favorite taxon Helianthus annuus Linnaeus. Common name: Common Sunflower, Mirasol. Phenology: Jun-Oct. Habitat: Disturbed areas, often cultivated in gardens, sometimes cultivated in fields. Distribution: Native of the Plains states south into Mexico. This is the common cultivated sunflower grown for its flowers, seeds, and oil.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, Fl7, FNA21, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mex, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, SE1, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WH3, WV; > Helianthus annuus L. ssp. annuus — Tx; > Helianthus annuus L. ssp. texanus Heiser — Tx; > Helianthus annuus L. var. macrocarpus (DC.) Cockerell — Oh3. Basionym: Helianthus annuus L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Helianthus annuus - FNA21

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Great Plains: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image #1 of Helianthus annuus© Alan Cressler: Helianthus annuus, Raccoon Road, Clarendon County, South Carolina 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Helianthus annuus© guywallbanks, some rights reserved (CC BY) source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Helianthus annuus© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Helianthus annuus© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Helianthus annuus© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Helianthus annuus© Daniel Cahen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Cahen source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Helianthus annuus© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Helianthus annuus© Scott Ward; ray floret (left), disc floret (middle), and pale (right) | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Helianthus annuus© jamie-aa, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by jamie-aa source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image #10 of Helianthus annuus© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #12 of Helianthus annuus© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #13 of Helianthus annuus© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #14 of Helianthus annuus© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #15 of Helianthus annuus© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #16 of Helianthus annuus© Aidan Campos source
image #17 of Helianthus annuus© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #18 of Helianthus annuus© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #19 of Helianthus annuus© Katherine Parys, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katherine Parys source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image #20 of Helianthus annuus© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #21 of Helianthus annuus© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #22 of Helianthus annuus© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something missing or incorrect about Helianthus annuus? Let us know here:
  1. Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
  2. If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
  3. Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
  4. Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
  5. Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.

Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Stout, erect annual of disturbed areas; native of the Plains states and often cultivated in gardens and agricultural fields.

Stems: Stems stout, branched, rough and hairy.

Leaves: Leaves mostly alternate (except lowermost), long-petiolate, oval, triangular or heart-shaped, 2-8 in. long, with 3 main veins, toothed, and with roughly stiff-hairy surfaces.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) solitary or in open panicles; 3-6 in. wide; consisting of 17-40 large, yellow ray florets encircling a large center disk of reddish-brown, purple or yellow tubular florets. Overlapping oval bracts with long narrow tips surround the base of each head.

Fruits: Fruit a striped, finely hairy achene.

Comments:

Height: 2-10 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Stout, erect annual of disturbed areas; native of the Plains states and often cultivated in gardens and agricultural fields.

stems: Stems stout, branched, rough and hairy.

leaves: Leaves mostly alternate (except lowermost), long-petiolate, oval, triangular or heart-shaped, 2-8 in. long, with 3 main veins, toothed, and with roughly stiff-hairy surfaces.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) solitary or in open panicles; 3-6 in. wide; consisting of 17-40 large, yellow ray florets encircling a large center disk of reddish-brown, purple or yellow tubular florets. Overlapping oval bracts with long narrow tips surround the base of each head.

fruits: Fruit a striped, finely hairy achene.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: North America



0 unsaved edits on this page.