Helianthus maximiliani
Maximilian sunflower
Family Asteraceae
About
Maximilian sunflower is a tall, rhizomatous prairie perennial of the Great Plains, grown as an ornamental and studied as a perennial oilseed crop.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Full sun gives the most flowers; partial shade is tolerated. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Seed; plants also spread by sprouting from the rhizome.
- Mature size
- 0.5–3 m tall.
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
A branching perennial 0.5–3 m tall from a stout rhizome, with rough-haired stems and narrow, folded, lance-shaped leaves to 30 cm. Heads have bright yellow rays 2–4 cm long around brown disc florets and smell faintly of chocolate.
Distribution & habitat
Native to the central North American Great Plains and naturalised from British Columbia to Maine and south to the Carolinas, Chihuahua and California.
Ecology
Spreads by seed and rhizome sprouts. Insects visit the flowers, and birds, wildlife and livestock eat the seeds or foliage.
Cultivation notes
Grown as an ornamental. The Land Institute in Kansas is breeding it toward a perennial oilseed grain crop.
History & etymology
Named for Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, who met it on his North American travels. The Sioux and other peoples ate the rhizome.
Conservation
Assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- United States, Canada, Mexico
- IUCN status
- Least concern
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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