Herb. No. 237 · Asteraceae
Prairie annual gone global as oil, bird seed, and a cottage row.
Native · North America
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Garden flowersKitchenFlowersHarvestCompanions
A tall disk for seed, oil, and bees — and a living stake that shades a cucumber in July.
Common sunflower is a North American annual that became a Russian oil crop and an American field flower. Petals are a mild garnish. The seed is the real harvest — roasted, pressed, or left for goldfinches. The plant is allelopathic to some neighbors (potato in particular) and a generous one to others (cucumber, corn). A single row on the north side of a bed is a windbreak, a pole, and a late-summer bee tower.
Flavor
Petals are mild and grassy. Seed is nutty, the hull a chore.
Parts used
Seed · Petal · Young head
Helpful
- Fast from seed
- Feeds bees and birds
- A living pole and windbreak
Cautions
- Can stunt potato
- Heavy heads need staking in wind
- Birds will beat you to the seed