1. Annual (Common) Sunflower – Helianthus annuus
(heel-ee-AN-thus AN-yoo-us)
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
Native to: Most of western U.S., SW Canada, Mexico. Found on bare ground (disturbed sites) in many
habitats. Common along roadsides, in old fields, shrublands.
herbaceaous annual
mature height: 4-10 ft
mature width: 2-5 ft
Tall, herbaceous annual with large leaves and stout stem.
Leaves and branches hairy.
Growth
slightly open, spreading. Showy flowers held above the foliage.
Growth characteristics:
Blooms/fruits: Many yellow “sunflowers” with yellow ray flowers and purple-brown disk flowers, in
summer/fall.
Uses in the garden: attracts lots of attention due to size and attractive flowers. Good in backs of
beds, along walls and fences. Nice in both native and cottage gardens.
Excellent for wildlife. Nice
“sunflower” scent. Can even grow in large pots. Good as a cut flower. Seeds are edible.
Sensible substitute for: non-native annual sunflowers, and sunflower cultivars
Attracts: bees, butterflies and other nectar-loving insects. Other insects eat leaves.
Seeds favored
by a wide range of birds including finches, jays, songbirds. Small mammals also eat seeds and foliage.
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun
Any well-drained soil
Little needed in summer – don’t overwater
None needed
Management: Little needed. Don’t over-water or you’ll risk powdery mildew in our area. You can
remove spent flowers if you don’t want the plant to re-seed (re-seeds naturally – unless the birds get
all the seeds!). Remove dead plants in fall after seeds are collected/eaten.
Propagation: from seed: Very easy (a good one for child gardeners). Allow seed to dry on the plant.
Collect seed in late summer/fall. An easy method is to cut entire dried heads, then place them stem
side up on a layer of newspaper or paper towels in a dry place. Seeds will fall out as they complete
their drying. Plant seeds out in beds in fall (rake in) or plant either in pots or directly in beds in spring.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1, 2, many others – get locally-collected
12/5/10
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