Helianthus
Sunflower
Asteraceae (Compositae)
Annuals
Coarse, sturdy plants with bold blooms. Includes sunflower. Most are prime subjects for cut flowers. Plants are tough and widely adapted. Perennial kinds spread rapidly, may become invasive. Tall kinds are not for tidy gardens; may need staking. All bloom in summer and fall.
The wild ancestor of today’s familiar sunflowers is a coarse, hairy plant with 2–3-in.-wide flowers, native to much of the central United States and southward to Central America. It is the state flower of Kansas and the only plant native to the lower 48 states to have become an important agricultural commodity. It has been bred to produce giant plants as well as a host of smaller (but still significant) varieties for garden decoration and cut flowers. Most sunflowers used in gardens are 3 to 7 ft. tall.
Calandrinia ciliata
This commonWestern wildflower populatessunny meadows, growing 8–16in. high and wide, with narrow,flesh...
Clarkia concinna
California native. To 1 1/2 ft. tall. Deep pink to lavender flowers with three-lobed, fan-shaped petal...
Tithonia rotundifolia
Native from Mexico to Central America. Husky, rather coarse plant with velvety green leaves, spectacul...
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