The sunflower or Helianthus annuus is an annual flower which is famous for its extremely large and vividly yellow blooms. Sunflowers are native to South America, but they are widely cultivated all over the world today as ornamentals, food plants, and for their valuable oil. Many people enjoy growing sunflowers, because they are quite easy to grow and they are a great way to brighten even a small garden.

It is estimated that the sunflower was domesticated around 1500 BCE in South America, presumably for the purpose of utilizing the oil-rich and highly nutritious seeds. Sunflowers were also used as a source of dye. When European explorers were introduced to the sunflower, they brought it back with them, with sunflower cultivation in Europe dating to around the 1600s. France in particular has become famous for its sunflowers, perhaps because of Van Gogh's lush paintings of sunflower fields in bloom.

A domesticated sunflower can grow over six feet (two meters) in height, producing one or many composite blooms known as heads on a coarse stem with rough, hairy leaves. The “flower” of a sunflower is actually composed of hundreds of tiny florets packed together. When the head is fertilized, the florets on the side of the head develop into seeds, while the petals along the sides wither and fall off. In addition to classic yellow, these petals can be orange or maroon in color, and the seeds may develop in white, black, or striped forms.

Sunflower seeds are rich in protein, oil, and several nutrients. As a result, they are a popular snack in many regions of the world, especially when roasted. They can also be pressed to extract the oil, which may be used in cooking and in various industries. Sunflower oil is famously nutty in flavor, and very good for the skin.

The most well known trait of the sunflower is probably its heliotropism. Sunflowers actually follow the sun, with heads which face east in the morning, and slowly track the sun across the sky. After dark, the heads reorient themselves to face the east for morning. This trait is more pronounced in domesticated sunflowers, incidentally.

Growing sunflowers is easy, and in fact the flowers can turn into weeds if allowed to grow unchecked. They thrive in USDA zones three through 10, with most garden stores carrying an assortment of varieties, for people who want to grow sunflowers in exotic colors like maroon and white.