Living Beings
    Source-identified Helianthus annuus; Documentary organism photograph; source identification retained. Framed for display
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    Sonnenblume Helianthus 1.JPG · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Documentary organism photograph; source identification retained. böhringer friedrich · CC BY-SA 2.5

    Field guide · species

    Common Sunflower

    Helianthus annuus L., 1753

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    The authority credits the formal scientific description of the name. A year records publication of that description.

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    ViridiplantaeMagnoliopsidaAsteralesAsteraceae

    The common sunflower is a fast-growing annual in the daisy family. Its conspicuous head is a collection of many small flowers, rather than a single oversized flower.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

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    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomViridiplantae
    4. PhylumStreptophyta
    5. ClassMagnoliopsida
    6. OrderAsterales
    7. FamilyAsteraceae
    8. GenusHelianthus
    9. SpeciesHelianthus annuus
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Viridiplantae kingdom
    4. Streptophyta phylum
    5. Streptophytina subphylum
    6. Embryophyta clade
    7. Tracheophyta clade
    8. Euphyllophyta clade
    9. Spermatophyta clade
    10. Magnoliopsida class
    11. Mesangiospermae clade
    12. eudicotyledons clade
    13. Gunneridae clade
    14. Pentapetalae clade
    15. asterids clade
    16. campanulids clade
    17. Asterales order
    18. Asteraceae family
    19. Asteroideae subfamily
    20. Heliantheae alliance clade
    21. Heliantheae tribe
    22. Helianthus genus
    23. Helianthus annuus species
    Open in taxonomy explorer ↗

    Structure and identification

    Rough, hairy stems carry broad, toothed leaves. Yellow ray florets surround a darker central disk in familiar forms, although cultivated varieties differ in color and size.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Habitat and range

    Open, sunny ground supports growth. Roadsides, fields and disturbed areas are common settings for wild or naturalized plants.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Nutrition and metabolism

    Green leaves capture light and fix carbon through photosynthesis; roots absorb water and mineral nutrients.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Reproduction and life cycle

    A seed germinates, the plant grows and flowers, and new seeds mature within one growing season. It does not persist through winter as the same adult plant in cold climates.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Geographic distribution

    Native to North America and widely introduced through cultivation. A sunflower in a garden is not evidence of a native population.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Ecological role

    Flower heads attract insects, while mature seed heads provide food for birds and squirrels.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Distinctive adaptations

    A taproot and sturdy stem support growth in exposed places. Cultivation has selected forms with very different head sizes and branching patterns.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

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