Common Sunflower
  H
elianthus  annuus
Asteracea  (Sunflower Family)

Home   Plant Index    Details    Utah Range Map


Common Sunflower

sunflower


illustration

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913
.
An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions.
3 vols.
Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 3: 478.

Photo Details
1.  August 29, 2004 - Antelope Island, Davis County, Utah - ©Nicky Davis

2.  September  of 2008, Washington Fields, Washington County, Utah
 
Other




An important crop as the oil has many uses.  Birds are fond of the kernels. For photos of butterfly larvae that use Sunflower as a host plant, click on

 Bordered Patch Butterfly

Also used by 
the Gorgone Checkerspot  as a larval host.
Folk Medicine: Medicinally, seeds are diuretic, expectorant, and used for colds, coughs, throat, and lung ailments. According to Hartwell (1967–1971), the flowers and seeds are used in folk remedies for cancer in Venezuela, often incorporated in white wine. Reported to be anodyne, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, bactericidal, deobstruent, diuretic, emollient,  insecticidal, malaria preventative, sunflower is a folk remedy for aftosa, blindness, bronchiectasis, bronchitis, carbuncles, catarrh, cold, colic, cough, diarrhea, dysentery, dysuria, epistaxis, eyes, fever, flu, fractures, inflammations, laryngitis, lungs, malaria, menorrhagia, pleuritis, rheumatism, scorpion stings, snakebite, splenitis, urogenital ailments, whitlow, and wounds (Duke and Wain, 1981) ( Purdue University)

Back to Top