Sunflowers
Botanical name: Helianthus
Sunflowers
Botanical name: Helianthus
Description
Sunflowers are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Species of Sunflowers
Common sunflower 'Vincent's Choice'
Common sunflower 'Vincent's Choice' boasts large blossoms with overlapping rounded petals. These petals are bright gold and surround a dark brown center. This sunflower is less sensitive to day length than other sunflowers, which allows gardeners to seed them earlier in the season. Common sunflower 'Vincent's Choice' is named after Vincent Van Gogh, who enjoyed painting sunflowers.
Common sunflower 'Ring of Fire'
Common sunflower 'Ring of Fire' are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Common sunflower 'Mammoth Grey Stripe'
Common sunflower 'Mammoth Grey Stripe' are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Cheerful sunflower 'Lemon Queen'
Cheerful sunflower 'Lemon Queen' are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Common sunflower 'Strawberry Blonde'
Common sunflower 'Strawberry Blonde' are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Common sunflower 'Gypsy Charmer'
Common sunflower 'Gypsy Charmer' is a decorative, branching sunflower cultivar that got its name from its playful, warm coloration. The petals are multicolored, with at least two hues of yellow and a rosy-red as the most distinct colors. The blossoms are numerous and can measure up to 20 cm across. Common sunflower 'Gypsy Charmer' holds pollen well and doesn't dust surfaces, so it is a popular variety for making bouquets.
Silverleaf sunflower
The silverleaf sunflower is a tall, fast-growing, and low-maintenance perennial plant. It produces attractive yellow and large flower heads. It has smooth, silvery foliage, thus its common name 'Silverleaf.' silverleaf sunflower is a perfect choice for cottage, wildflower, and butterfly gardens.
Common sunflower 'Taiyo'
Common sunflower 'Taiyo' is a variety of the common sunflower. What sets this cultivar apart is the unique bull's-eye pattern where the outer ring has a lighter color than the one in the center. The sunflower seeds are not nuts but dry fruits called achenes.
Willow-leaf sunflower 'First Light'
Willow-leaf sunflower 'First Light' is a dwarf hybrid Willow-leaf sunflower and is the result of the cross between the non-patented H. salicifolia cultivars ‘Golden Pyramid’ and ‘Autumn Glory’. It is much shorter than the original species reaching only 1.2 m instead of 3 m. The leaves of this cultivar are fuzzy and the seeds are sterile. The name may refer to how easily this flower can be spotted due to its height and abundant blooms
Jerusalem artichoke 'Fuseau'
Jerusalem artichoke 'Fuseau' is grown for culinary uses. This variety is noted for its smooth skin, which allows it to be peeled more easily than other varieties. This variety is also noted for the larger size of its tubers.
Willow-leaf sunflower 'Low Down'
Low down in both name and nature, willow-leaf sunflower 'Low Down' is a dwarf hybrid Willow-leaf sunflower that is shorter and has smaller leaves and flowers than its parent plant. The attractive orange flowers are the main draw for gardeners and this late summer/early fall bloomer contrasts nicely with other fall-blooming garden favorites like asters.
Few-leaf sunflower
The Helianthus occidentalis, also descriptively called the few-leaf sunflower, is found in the eastern and central United States. Its sparse leaves can distinguish it from other similar flowers, as the common name implies.
Stiff sunflower
Stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus) is a perennial member of the sunflower family found around North America, especially the Great Plains region. The stem is bristly, and generally a grey-green color. It grows readily in clayish, loamy, sandy, or gravely soil. Stiff sunflower can attract many types of butterflies and bees.
Cheerful sunflower
The cheerful sunflower is a perennial plant known for its yellow blooms. This is one of the showiest and largest sunflower species and the blooms generally show up in late summer. It is often grown as an ornamental plant.
Purpledisk sunflower
Other names for purpledisk sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens) include Appalachian sunflower, wild sunflower, and dark-eyed sunflower. It’s a species that’s indigenous to the southeastern part of the United States. It is in fact a member of the sunflower family. However, unlike other species in this family, it prefers to grow by itself instead of with others.
Beach sunflower
The beach sunflower, Helianthus debilis, or beach sunflower, is a commonly grown sunflower in the Eastern United States. This species of sunflower can tolerate small amounts of salt water, and is often grown on beach dunes to form a thick ground cover for erosion control.
Thinleaf sunflower
Thinleaf sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus) is indigenous to central and eastern North America. A multitude of butterfly species use this plant to feed their larvae. These include the silvery checkspot and the painted lady. Muskrats feast on the stems and leaves. They also gather the stems so they can use them to build their lodges.
Swamp sunflower
Swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) is a plant species that is a member of the Aster family. The swamp sunflower or Narrow Leaf Sunflower, is a yellow perennial flower. It grows well in damp gardens and tolerates the salt of coastal areas. It spreads in small, slow-growing clumps.
Common sunflower
The common sunflower is recognizable for its bright flower on a very tall stem. It is often grown in gardens. These flowers have been important in culture: they were worshipped by the ancient Inca people, and today, they represent eco-friendly movements. The artist Vincent Van Gogh made a famous series of paintings about common sunflowers. Wild versions of the plant branch out to many flower heads, but domesticated plants typically only have one.
Maximilian sunflower
The maximilian sunflower is a native perennial sunflower with tall stems and numerous, showy blooms that can grow up to 13 cm across. This sunflower spreads aggressively through rhizomes and while it isn’t great for small landscaping projects, it does attract wildlife with its prolific seeds.
Sunflowers 'Loddon Gold'
Sunflowers 'Loddon Gold' is a highly unusual sunflower with a flower so different, you might not even think it is part of the sunflower family. Instead of the round-faced sun shape, the flowers of this hybrid are a densely packed cluster of bright golden petals without a discernible center. This sunflower is named for its golden flowers and also for the town of Loddon in Norfolk, England.
Helianthus annuus 'Sunsation Yellow‘
Helianthus annuus 'Sunsation Yellow‘ is a compact sunflower variety, growing to between 61 cm and 91 cm tall with flowers that grow to about 15 cm across. Gardeners like this particular cultivar of sunflower as it can easily be grown in pots, unlike other larger varieties. It is also unique because it produces multiple buds.
Common sunflower 'Russian Mammoth'
Common sunflower 'Russian Mammoth' is bred from the sunflower plant and its cultivar name reflects its dramatic size as well as its initial commercialization in Russia. This is a giant variety of the sunflower, with huge yellow flowers, bright yellow petals, and a dark central core, all set on very sturdy stalks. This cultivar is popular for dramatic statements in home gardens!
Common sunflower 'Suntastic Yellow with Black Center'
Common sunflower 'Suntastic Yellow with Black Center' is a cultivated plant from the daisy family. The plant is named "Suntastic Yellow with Black Center" for the color of the petals and its dark center. The bright yellow petals also make the plant a favorite in summer gardens and containers. Common sunflower 'Suntastic Yellow with Black Center' is bred as a dwarf, making it stand out from its taller relatives.
Sunflowers 'Happy Days'
The name of sunflowers 'Happy Days' hints at its joyful flowers, which are large and have vibrant golden yellow petals surrounding a prominent, slightly darker yellow center. This cultivar is planted not only for its ornamental nature in the garden, but for its attractiveness to pollinators and use as a cut flower.
Common sunflower 'Floristan'
Common sunflower 'Floristan' has an unusual flower color compared to other Common sunflowers, with dark red petals that fade to yellow at the tips. This color is a marked difference from the all-yellow blooms typical of the parent plant and these unique flowers make for standout garden feature plants.
Common sunflower 'Arikara'
A fast-growing variety of sunflower, these giant and bright flowers have hairy, heart-shaped leaves adorning their stems. Common sunflower 'Arikara' was cultivated as a sunflower hybrid and named for the Native American tribe that discovered this variety. Common sunflower 'Arikara' is beloved for its ease of care, unique foliage, and beautiful flowers.
Common sunflower 'Evening Sun'
Common sunflower 'Evening Sun' stands out from other sunflowers with petals that are reminiscent of a sunset - a fact reflected in its name. These oblong petals come in shades of red, orange, and burgundy and circle around a large brown center. This lovely sunflower grows 1.8 to 2.5 m tall.
Common sunflower 'Teddy Bear'
Common sunflower 'Teddy Bear' certainly looks more like a golden fluffy teddy bear than the common sunflower from which it was bred. This sunflower produces fluffy double flowers with a rounded, pompom-like appearance. It's truly unique and particularly attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds.
Rayless sunflower
Helianthus radula grows in sandy, open woodlands such as pine barrens. It is an perennial herb up to 1 m tall. One plant usually produces only one flower head, containing 0-8 yellow ray florets surrounding sometimes as many as 150 or more yellow or brown disc florets.
Sawtooth sunflower
Sawtooth sunflower is a perennial sunflower in the aster family. Although it is called sawtooth sunflower, its leaves are generally smooth or only slightly serrated. This sunflower can grow up to 3.5 m tall.
Hairy sunflower
Hairy sunflower (Helianthus hirsutus) is a flowering perennial species which spreads using underground rhizomes. Hairy sunflower is considered easy to grow in gardens and prefers full sunlight for optimal growth. This species attracts bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies.
Giant sunflower
Giant sunflower (Helianthus giganteus) is a perennial herbaceous plant that can grow to be over 4 m tall. Giant sunflower is native to the eastern United States and eastern and central Canada. This species grows in valleys with wet meadows or swamps.
Swollen sunflower
Widely spread across the United States and Canada, the swollen sunflower can produce 1-15 flower heads on a single plant that contain 17-22 yellow ray florets. It's used to increase forb diversity in conservation and restoration plantings. The Helianthus mollis is often used for preventing soil erosion as well.
Prairie Sunflower
Prairie Sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris) thrives best in sunlit areas that are grassy and open and is unable to grow in shaded areas. Prairie Sunflower flowers from summer to fall and its seeds are edible. It’s indigenous to the Western United States but has migrated eastward over the years.
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke is a North American native sunflower with huge amber flower heads, broad leaves, and sturdy branches. Its tubers are a highly nutritious vegetable food crop that taste sweet and nutty. The plant's Latin name Helianthus tuberosus stems from helios, the Greek word for sun, and anthos, flower.
Woodland sunflower
The woodland sunflower is an herby perennial flower in the sunflower family. These showy yellow flowers thrive in part sun to full sun and hybridize easily. They spread through creeping rhizomes and seeds and may become invasive. The seeds are an excellent source of food for wild birds.
Purpledisk sunflower 'Monarch'
Purpledisk sunflower 'Monarch' are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Common sunflower 'Tall Single'
Common sunflower 'Tall Single' is the picture-perfect sunflower with large yellow petals and a brown center filled with seeds. The name refers to the fact that this single stemmed flower grows quite fast and very tall (up to 3 m).
Common sunflower 'Firecracker'
Common sunflower 'Firecracker' are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Common sunflower 'Soraya'
Common sunflower 'Soraya' are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
California sunflower
California sunflower are favorites of birds and bees. The flowers will rotate throughout the day to face the sun. Commercially grown for its seeds, toasted sunflower seeds are a favorite snack or condiment for salads and other food. Oil extracted from the seeds is also used for cooking.
Smith's sunflower
Helianthus smithii grows in wet, mucky soils in marshes, ditches, and roadsides. It is a perennial herb up to 2.5 m (over 2.5 m) tall, spreading by means of underground rhizomes. One plant usually produces 1-15 flower heads, each containing 12–23 yellow ray florets surrounding 100 or more red, yellow, or brown disc florets.
Snowy sunflower
H. niveus is a taprooted annual or perennial sunflower growing to a maximum height over 1 m. The leaves are oval or lance-shaped, often with irregular lobes or teeth, and are covered in soft, white hairs. The flower heads are fringed with 13-21 bright yellow ray florets up to 2.5 cm long surrounding a center of yellow to purple-red disc florets.
Porter's sunflower
Helianthus porteri grows on granite hillsides. It is an annual herb up to 1 m tall. One plant usually produces 5 or more flower heads, each containing 7 or 8 yellow ray florets surrounding 30 or more yellow disc florets.
Scientific Classification
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