Common sunflower, Annual sunflower, Kansas sunflower, Mirasol
| Botanical Name | Helianthus annuus |
| Common Name | Common sunflower, Annual sunflower, Kansas sunflower, Mirasol |
| Family | Asteraceae - Aster |
| Description | This very tall annual sunflower has rough, stout, hairy, red-splotched stems. |
| Mature Size | Up to 8'. |
| Bloom | August-Sept. The flowers always tilt toward the sun. They are 3-5" wide, having numerous yellow ray flowers and a reddish center of disk flowers. |
| Interesting Facts | The fruit is seedlike, flatish but plump. This plant has been cultivated in the Americas since pre-Columbian times. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | Natives used the flowers for a yellow dye and the seed for a black or dull blue dye. It was once important in Indian basketry and weaving. Today the cultivated form is an important food source in the U.S. and Eurasia. The seeds are used for cooking oil, livestock, human and bird food. |
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Photo for SFBG by Sonny Tucker
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