Common sunflower

Common sunflower
Helianthus annuus cv. Sunfola
Secure
Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Heliantheae
Genus: Helianthus
Species:
H. annuus
Binomial name
Helianthus annuus
Synonyms
Synonymy
  • Helianthus aridus Rydb.
  • Helianthus erythrocarpus Bartl.
  • Helianthus indicus L.
  • Helianthus jaegeri Heiser
  • Helianthus lenticularis Douglas
  • Helianthus macrocarpus DC. & A.DC.
  • Helianthus multiflorus Hook.
  • Helianthus ovatus Lehm.
  • Helianthus platycephalus Cass.
  • Helianthus tubaeformis Nutt.

The common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a large annual forb in the daisy family Asteraceae. The domesticated form of common sunflower is harvested for its edible seeds, which come in two types: oil and confectionary seeds. Oilseed sunflowers are widely grown globally and represent the fourth most used vegetable oil in the world. They also are used widely as bird food or as food for livestock. In contrast, confectionary sunflower seeds are often eaten as a snack food or in baking. There also are horticultural sunflower varieties that are used as plantings in domestic gardens for aesthetics. Wild plants are known for their multiple flower heads, whereas the domestic sunflower often possesses a single large flower head atop an unbranched stem.

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