The Helianthus annuus, commonly known as the sunflower, is a large annual forb of the genus Helianthus.

It is a native plant to North America and is famously known for its bright yellow petals and its large, round seed head.

The sunflower is a visually striking plant with a tall, sturdy stalk that can reach up to 10 feet in height. The most defining feature is its large, circular head, typically made up of a dark brown or black center filled with seeds, surrounded by a ring of vibrant, yellow petals. These petals are long, broad, and slightly serrated at the edges. The leaves of the sunflower are broad and coarsely toothed, and its stem is covered in rough hair.

Sunflowers have a unique feature called heliotropism when they are young – they track the sun from east to west during the day, and return to face east at night. This movement is believed to maximize photosynthesis. As the sunflower matures, it generally faces east.

The seeds of the sunflower are arranged in a spiral pattern within the seed head – a pattern which follows the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical pattern that appears commonly in nature. Each sunflower can house hundreds of these seeds, which are encased in a hard, striped shell.

Sunflowers are widely grown for their seeds which are used for both human and animal consumption, as well as for producing oil.

Fun Facts about Sun Flowers:

1. Sunflower heads consist of 1,000 to 2,000 individual flowers joined together.
2. The tallest sunflower on record reached an incredible 30 feet and 1 inch tall!
3. Sunflowers can remove toxins, including lead, arsenic, and uranium, from contaminated soil.
4. A sunflower variety, the ‘Mammoth’, can grow up to 12 feet tall with a flower head up to 2 feet across.
5. The French word for sunflower is ‘tournesol’, which means ‘turns with the sun’.