Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Family Asteraceae
Nothing announces summer like a sunflower turning its face with the morning. From knee-high bouquet types to 14-foot giants, one native annual covers armfuls of cut flowers, roasted seeds, and the kind of scale kids remember — a flower taller than their parents.
Bees work the gold face all summer; birds strip the seed heads come September and October — you're planting a feeder that grows itself. It doubles as a quick screen for an ugly fence. Sow a row after frost and let the season show off.
Full Sun
Low water
Very Fast growth
Native to North America
Attracts bees
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing sunflower? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries sunflower — Helianthus annuus, print Nº 458, “Sunflower.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what sunflower actually needs.
Life cycleAnnualSunflower · Common problems
Common sunflower problems
Pests
4 problems on file
- Birds/Squirrels at seed
- Sunflower Moth
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
- Grasshoppers
Diseases
4 problems on file
Photographs from the farm
Sunflowers, in the sunlight
A little summer colour from the garden.
Photos by Nate · Story Thyme Farms.
Sunflower · Growing & propagation
Growing sunflower
- Light
- Full Sun
Heads track it
- Water
- Low-Moderate
Deep taproot
Soil- Average - they're not fussy · pH 6.0 - 7.5
Fertilizer- Compost at sowing
Giants appreciate a feed at knee height.
Pruning- None (annual) — None.
Spacing- 12-24 inches
Giants), 6-9 inches (cutting
How to plant & propagate sunflower
Maturity- 70-100 days
From seed- Direct-sow after frost
Large easy seed
- Propagate
- From seed
Sunflower · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Sunflower · Yearly calendar
The sunflower year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
Bloom
HarvestBloomJuly to September
HarvestJune to October
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Harvest — picking time — check ripeness every few days.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Sunflower · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Helianthus annuus
Sunflower in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer annual
- Nectary/insectary
- Hosts Silvery checkerspot, bordered patch, painted lady
- Keystone: Keystone perennial — hosts 60+ caterpillar species
Attracts- Bees, Birds
Habitat- Dry/rocky
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What sunflower is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
- Use
- Cut flowers
- Use
- Seeds
- Use
- Bird forage
- Use
- Screen
Harvesting & storing sunflower
Cut flowers all summer; seed heads September - October. About 70-100 days from planting.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Sunflower · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a sunflower variety
'Mammoth', 'ProCut' series, 'Lemon Queen'
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Helianthus annuus
- Plant family
- Asteraceae
- Growth habit
- Annual
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- HEAN3
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Sunflower questions, answered straight.
Is sunflower safe for kids and pets?
Sunflower is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest sunflower?
Cut flowers all summer; seed heads September - October. From planting, expect about 70-100 days to maturity.
How do you propagate sunflower?
From seed.
Elsewhere
Where sunflower sits in the library.
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily
Hardy Banana