Sunflower (Helianthus annuus, Sp. Pl.: 904 (1753))

Family: Asteraceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 904 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Helianthus

Vegetable: False

Observations: SW. U.S.A. to Mexico

Description

The sunflower, with its striking golden petals and robust stature, is a beloved plant known both for its beauty and utility. Scientifically termed as Helianthus annuus, this remarkable species has been captivating humans since its first formal description in Linnaeus’s “Species Plantarum” in 1753. The sunflower belongs to the family Asteraceae, a large and diverse family of flowering plants.

Native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico, sunflowers flourish in warm climates, basking in the sun’s rays. These robust plants can grow impressively tall, sometimes reaching heights of up to 10 feet or more. Their large, round flower heads can span over a foot in diameter, making them one of the most visually striking members of the plant kingdom.

Sunflowers are not only admired for their vibrant appearance but also for their practical uses. They have been cultivated for centuries for their edible seeds, which are a rich source of oil and nutrients. Sunflower oil is a popular cooking oil known for its health benefits, including being low in saturated fats and high in Vitamin E. Additionally, the seeds are enjoyed as a nutritious snack and are often used in bird feed mixtures.

The sunflower’s unique heliotropic behavior, where it turns to face the sun throughout the day, has long fascinated observers. This trait optimizes their exposure to sunlight, enhancing their growth and seed production.

In horticulture, sunflowers are a favorite among gardeners, not just for their cheerful blooms but also for their role in attracting pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and other insects are frequently drawn to sunflower fields, making these plants excellent for promoting biodiversity in garden ecosystems.

Beyond their ecological and economic importance, sunflowers hold cultural significance in various societies. They symbolize various concepts, such as adoration, loyalty, and longevity, and are often associated with positivity and happiness due to their bright and sunny disposition.

Overall, the sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is a remarkable plant that continues to charm and benefit people across the globe, from its origins in the warm regions of the Southwest U.S.A. to Mexico and beyond.

Common Names

Dan: almindelig solsikke, solsikke
Eng: annual sunflower, common sunflower, sunflower, wild sunflower, garden sunflower
Tur: aycicegi
Deu: einjaehrige sonnenblume, gewöhnliche sonnenblume, sonnenblume
Spa: girasol, girassol
Ita: girasole comune, girasole
Heb: hamanit metzuya, חמנית מצויה
Fra: tournesol, grand soleil, hélianthe annuel, soleil
Swa: alizeti
Por: girassol
Ell: ilios
Hun: közönséges napraforgó
Ces: slune
Swe: solros
Nld: zonnebloem
Sme: beaivvášlieđđi, beaiveruvsu
Cym: blodau’r haul, blodyn yr haul
En: Sunflower, Common sunflower, Annual sunflower, Ocľiul a soarilui, Sōlate, Turnesol, Тарымал тоорук, सूर्जमुखी फूल, Wild sunflower, Garden sunflower
Af: Sonneblom
Sq: Farat e lulediellit
Am: የፈረንጅ ሱፍ
Ar: دوار الشمس
Hy: Արևածաղիկ
Az: Adi günəbaxan
Eu: Ekilore
Be: Сланечнік аднагадовы, Сланечнік звычайны
Bn: সূর্যমুখী
Bs: Suncokret
Br: Tro-heol
Bg: Обикновен слънчоглед
My: နေကြာ
Ca: Gira-sol
Zh: 向日葵
Cv: Хĕвелçаврăнăш
Kw: Bleujen an howl
Hr: Suncokret
Cs: Slunečnice roční, Slune
Da: Almindelig Solsikke, Solsikke
Nl: Zonnebloem
Eo: Sunfloro
Et: Harilik päevalill
Fi: Isoauringonkukka
Fr: Grand soleil, Tournesol, Hélianthe annuel, Tourne-soleil, Soleil, Graines-à-perroquets, Grand-soleil
Gl: Xirasol
Ka: Ზეთის მზესუმზირა
De: Sonnenblume, Einjaehrige Sonnenblume, Gewöhnliche Sonnenblume
El: ΗλίανθοΣ, Ilios
Ha: Duba Rana
He: חמנית מצויה, Hamanit metzuya
Hi: सूरजमुखी
Hu: Napraforgó, Közönséges napraforgó
Io: Helianto
Id: Bunga matahari
Ie: Sunflore
Ga: Lus na gréine
It: Girasole, Girasole comune
Ja: Himawari
Jv: Kembang srengéngé
Ko: Haebaragi, 해바라기
Ku: Gulberojk
Lv: Saulgrieze
Lt: Paprastoji saulėgrąža
Lb: Sonneblumm
Mk: Сончоглед
Mg: Tanamasoandro
Ms: Bunga matahari
Ml: സൂര്യകാന്തി
Mr: सूर्यफूल
Mn: Наран цэцэг
Nv: Ndíyíliitsoh
Ne: सूर्यमुखी फूल
Se: Beaivvášlieđđi, Beaiveruvsu
No: Solsikke
Oc: Virasolelh
Os: Æхсынæн
Pa: ਸੂਰਜਮੁਖੀ
Ps: لمرګلی
Fa: گل آفتاب‌گردان
Pl: Słonecznik, Słonecznik zwyczajny
Pt: Girassol
Pt-br: Girassol
Qu: Inti wayta
Ro: Floarea soarelui
Ru: Подсолнечник однолетний
Sc: Girasole
Gd: Neòinean-grèine
Sr: Сунцокрет
Sn: Sunflower
Sd: سورج مکي
Sk: Slnečnica ročná
Es: Girasol, Girassol, Mirasol
Su: Matahari
Sw: Alizeti
Sv: Solros
Tl: Helianthus annuus
Zh-tw: 向日葵
Ta: சூரியகாந்தி
Tt: Берьеллык көнбагыш
Te: ప్రొద్దు తిరుగుడు
Th: ทานตะวัน
Bo: ཉི་མ་མེ་ཏོག​
Tr: Ayçiçeği, Aycicegi
Ug: ئاپتاپپەرەس
Uk: Соняшник однорічний
Ur: سورج مکھی
Vi: Hướng dương
Cy: Blodyn yr haul, Blodau’r Haul

Synonyms

• Helianthus annuus var. pumilus (DC.)
• Helianthus annuus var. convolutus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. apicalis (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. basalis (Cockerell)
• Helianthus aridus (Rydb.)
• Helianthus annuus var. pallescens (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. niger (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. lenticularis ((Douglas ex Lindl.) Steyerm.)
• Helianthus pumilus (Pers.)
• Helianthus annuus var. reversus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus lenticularis var. aridus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus f. lenticularis ((Douglas ex Lindl.) B.Boivin)
• Helianthus annuus var. latibasis (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. tortuosus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. indicus ((L.) DC.)
• Helianthus annuus subsp. texanus (Heiser)
• Helianthus annuus f. fallax (B.Boivin)
• Helianthus annuus var. semivinosus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. ruberrimus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus subsp. lenticularis ((Douglas ex Lindl.) Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. vinosus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus macrocarpus (DC.)
• Helianthus petiolaris (DC.)
• Helianthus ultiflorus (L.)
• Helianthus annuus var. aridus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus erythrocarpus (Bartl.)
• Helianthus annuus var. coronatus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. chrysanthemoides (Cockerell)
• Helianthus indicus (L.)
• Helianthus annuus var. primulinus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus aridus var. citrinus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. californicus ((T.Moore) Bushell)
• Helianthus annuus var. passiflora (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. macrocarpus ((DC.) Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. revolutus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus platycephalus (Cass.)
• Helianthus ovatus (Lehm.)
• Helianthus jaegeri (Heiser)
• Helianthus annuus californicus (T.Moore)
• Helianthus lenticularis var. primulinus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus lenticularis var. angustus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus lindheimerianus (Scheele)
• Helianthus annuus lenticularis ((Douglas ex Lindl.) Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus subsp. jaegeri ((Heiser) Heiser)
• Helianthus annuus var. trizonatus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus lenticularis (Douglas ex Lindl.)
• Helianthus annuus var. flavobasis (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. texanus ((Heiser) Shinners)
• Helianthus annuus var. dilutus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus f. silvester (Thell.)
• Helianthus annuus var. selene (Cockerell)
• Helianthus annuus var. vinosissimus (Cockerell)
• Helianthus grandiflorus (Wender. ex Steud.)

Distribution

• Arizona (native)
• California (native)
• Mexico Central (native)
• Mexico Northeast (native)
• Mexico Northwest (native)
• Mexico Southwest (native)
• Nevada (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alaska (introduced)
• Albania (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Altay (introduced)
• Amur (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Assam (introduced)
• Austria (introduced)
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• Baltic States (introduced)
• Bangladesh (introduced)
• Belarus (introduced)
• Belgium (introduced)
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• Bolivia (introduced)
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• British Columbia (introduced)
• Bulgaria (introduced)
• Buryatiya (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• Caprivi Strip (introduced)
• Central European Rus (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Chile North (introduced)
• Chile South (introduced)
• China North-Central (introduced)
• China South-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Chita (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
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• New South Wales (introduced)
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• New Zealand North (introduced)
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Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Flower

Taken Nov 29, 2016 by Rodrigo Castillo (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 14, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 7, 2019 by mum mum (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by Jani Zadrgal (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by Jani Zadrgal (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Sep 9, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 30, 2021 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 21, 2018 by M Victoria Alonso (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by Jani Zadrgal (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Oct 30, 2021 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 19, 2018 by Doris Redick (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 15, 2021 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 7, 2017 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by Jani Zadrgal (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jul 27, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 12, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 28, 2020 by Jim Knopf (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 9, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 17, 2021 by Valentina Ferrari (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Aug 24, 2022 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 16, 2022 by Carla Antunes (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 3, 2021 by Pour Demos (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 7, 2017 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 30, 2019 by Tijana (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Aug 25, 2017 by Tara Conler (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 1, 2017 by Tara Conler (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 15, 2017 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:119003-2)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/9206251)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Helianthus annuus L.)

Specifications

Growth form: Single Crown

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth rate: Rapid

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.8

Ph minimum: 5.5

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 4

Soil nutriments: 8