There are 56 species of sunflower, most of which are native to North America. They are annuals or perennials in the Asteraceae (daisy) family and have rough sandpapery leaves and showy daisy-like flowers. All species are tall and many can become weedy as they self-seed easily but their cheery summer and fall flowers make up for any inconvenience. The genus name, Helianthus, is derived from the two Greek words, helios, meaning sun, and anthos , meaning flower. Although generally preferring moist soil, some species will tolerate poor drainage. Plant in the full sun for the most blooms and enjoy the flowers from late summer until the first frost. Leave the seed heads standing to provide a late fall and winter food source for birds. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own. Read more about best practices for stem-nesting bees in this NC Extension publication . The giant sunflower H. annuus is the plant that provides the seed we snack on and sunflower oil. Jerusalem artichokes, or H. tuberosus , have tasty starchy edible tubers. The summer flowers come in a variety of sizes and colors and consist of ray florets surrounding a center of disc flowers. Use in the pollinator, cutting or edible gardens in the border or in groups. Als along a fence lines and naturalized areas. Helianthus cultivar production trial results Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Tall plants with large blooms could require support.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect; Spreading
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Opposite; Other/more complex
Leaf shape
Cordate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf feel
Rough
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The lower leaves are opposite, ovate, or cordate. Upper leaves are alternate and narrower. Petiolate leaves are dentate and may be sticky.
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy; Variegated; White
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
bright colorful ray florets that come in a variety of colors on the outside and yellow or brown/red disc florets inside
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Black
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North, South, Central Americas
Distribution
Americas Europe
Wildlife value
Flowers provide nectar to pollinators from July until the first frost. This is a larval host plant that supports Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis). The Silvery Checkerspot has at least 1-2 broods in the north from June-July in the deep south and Texas, they have as many as 3-4 broods from May through September. Birds are attracted to seeds so leave standing dead flowers into the winter as natural bird feeders. Members of the genus Helianthus support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) accepta, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) aliciae, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) helianthi, Melissodes (Eumelissodes) agilis, Dieunomia (Dieunomia) heteropoda, Megachile (Sayapis) pugnata, and Paranthidium (Paranthidium) jugatorium. This plant is occasionally damaged by deer. Dead stems are used by stem-nesting bees