nature of your neighborhood logo

Common sunflower

Common Sunflower is a tall, fast-growing annual with broad, oval to heart-shaped, roughly hairy leaves. In summer, it produces huge, brilliant flowers, up to 12 in. across (30 cm), with yellow petals surrounding a dark chocolate central disk. Borne on stiff upright stalks, the flower heads tend to follow the sun from morning to night. Attractive to bees, their central disk gives way to sunflower seeds that provide food for birds in fall and winter.
Description from gardenia.net

Home  >  Plant Guide  >  

Common sunflower

Common sunflower fast facts

Scientific Name

Helianthus annuus

Family

Asteraceae

Garden Type

Edible Garden, Anywhere

Wildlife

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Native Plant Region

North America

Light needs

Full Sun

Water Needs

Medium

Plant Type

Annual, Flowering

Bloom Color(s)

Yellow

Height

5 – 10 feet

Width

2 – 5 feet

Months in Bloom

July, August

Safe Beneath Power Lines?

Yes
Common sunflower

Have feedback on this plant listing?

We’d like to maintain accurate and robust plant listings. If you see information that is not correct or that could be added to improve the listing, please let us know. Or if you’d like to suggest a plant to add to our plant guide, you can use this form do so. Thank you!

Start Nurturing Your Neighborhood Today

Community

Get Gardening!

Start a garden in a planting strip along the street. Explore our interactive corridor map, find what to grow, and start nurturing today.

READ MORE