Comb Flower

Helianthus annuus (hee-lee-AN-thus AN-yoo-us)

Family: Asteraceae Native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Common sunflower is a warm-season, fast-growing annual with tall, upright stalks and 3- to 6-inch-wide flowers with orangish-yellow petal rays and blackish-brown to purplish center disks. Blooming occurs from July to October. It is a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae), native to the western United States and parts of Mexico, and has been introduced almost worldwide. This plant is commonly seen growing along roads, fences, in fields, or in waste areas west of the Mississippi River. Hybridization has produced many cultivars, expanding the range of flowers from the common yellow to red, mahogany, bronze, white, and bi-colors. The specific epithet annus means annual. The origin of its common name is derived from the myth that the plant's flower heads tend to follow the sun's direction during the day. The common sunflower is easy to grow and requires very little maintenance. It prefers full sun and moist, well-drained, loamy, sandy, or clay soils, with a neutral or alkaline pH. It is tolerant of poor soils and dry soils and is drought-tolerant once established. It is best grown in temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and is not frost-tolerant. This annual is best planted by seed after the last frost in the spring, and harvested before the first frost in the fall. It is a seasonal crop and will not survive the winter in North Carolina. They may also be started in pots or seed trays in the late fall and overwintered indoors or in a cold frame. The taller varieties of sunflowers should be planted in a sheltered location to protect them from wind damage, and stakes to support the stems may be needed. The birds and squirrels will appreciate your leaving the seedheads for them to enjoy during the winter. The plant self-seeds and will spread readily by volunteers. This plant has a taproot and rough, coarse, hairy stems that grow 2 to10 feet tall. Its leaves are large, green, ovate to lanceolate, coarse, hairy, with serrated margins. Its large, showy flower heads appear at the end of the stems. The common sunflower is grown as an ornamental in the garden for both humans and wildlife. The stalks are used in agriculture as fodder for livestock and a food source for poultry. Bright and colorful when planted in mass. May be used in cottage, wildflower, cutting, or native gardens. For borders and beds, plant the dwarf varieties in front, and the taller varieties in the back border. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Caterpillars, slugs, snails, and beetles will munch on the foliage. This plant may be susceptible to powdery mildew, leaf spots, and rust. By self-seeding, it may become weedy. Click here to see a calendar of planting schedules, time-to-harvest, and recommended spacing. More information on Helianthus .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 66 attributes.