Copy permalink to share

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.

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 of plant© Alan Cressler: Helianthus annuus, Raccoon Road, Clarendon County, South Carolina 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© guywallbanks, some rights reserved (CC BY) source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Daniel Cahen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Cahen source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© jamie-aa, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by jamie-aa source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Katherine Parys, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katherine Parys source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something wrong or missing on about Helianthus annuus? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.


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:



0 unsaved edits on this page.

« show previous | back to original search ↑