Pronounciation: He-lee-AN-thus AN-nuus

Hardiness zones
Sunset Annual All
USDA Annual All

Landscape Use: Wonderful summer accent for any flower border or garden, attracts birds by the score with fruiting.

Form & Character: Upright and rigid, festive, cheerful, the 'signature plant' of summer.

Growth Habit: Evergreen, herbaceous, broadleaf annual, variably moderate to vigorous growth from 2- to 15-feet tall depending on cultivar, selection.

Foliage/Texture: Sometimes basally opposite, mostly alternate, ovate with pronounced venation, pubescent to scabrous, coarsely serrate, size varies greatly; generally medium to coarse.

Flowers & Fruits: Large terminal perfect ray flowers that are famously phototrophic, either singly or in terminal clusters, yellow petals and dark brown center (other red flower petals exist too); with or without fruit. Those with fruit, an edible achene.

Seasonal Color: Brilliant summer flowers.

Temperature: Heat loving; sunflowers are for summer!

Light: Full sun

Soil: Tolerant

Watering: Mildly drought tolerant, though plant vigor will be much improved by summer monsoon rains and/or regular supplemental water in southwestern desert climates.

Pruning: None

Propagation: Seed, very easy to germinate in warm garden soil.

Disease and Pests: None

Additional comments: Sunflower is a very easy to grow summer garden plant and is the consummate plant for beginner gardeners when a successful outcome is needed to thwart discouragement or the advent of the 'brown thumb' syndrome. There are about 150 species in the genus Helianthus worldwide, with much variation in size and form.

International horticulture: Sunflowers are a major agronomic crop grown worldwide, such as in the southeastern European nation of Bulgaria. They are renowned for their many industrial uses and health benefits.