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Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Annual Forbs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

General: Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an upright annual forb to about 10 feet with large, coarse leaves and large, yellow flowers with dark centers. The face of the central disk is more or less flat.

Common Sunflower is a uncommon component of disturbed desert vegetation communities. Around Las Vegas, look for this species in town and in disturbed roadsides and open fields such as at Corn Creek on the Desert National Wildlife Range.

This is an invasive weed in Nevada, and is listed as a Noxious Weed in Iowa.

Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae).

Other Names: annual sunflower, wild sunflower

Plant Form: Upright, leafy annual.

Height: To about 10-12 feet.

Stems: Upright, branched, prickly.

Leaves: Leaves heart-shaped with coarse teeth, covered with stiff hairs that can be prickly, three veined, and long petioled. Lower leaves usually opposite, upper leaves alternate.

Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Flowers: Blooms during summer and fall. Flowers solitary on long peduncles. Ray flowers yellow, disk flowers brown. Ray flower petals about 1-inch long. Face of central disk usually flat.

Seeds: Sunflower seed.

Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides, old fields; often infests fertile soils.

Elevation: To about 6,000 feet.

Distribution: Throughout the US.

Comments:

Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Leaves heart-shaped with coarse teeth
Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Flower bud
Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Stiff hairs on stem.
Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Ray flowers yellow with 1-inch long "petals." Disk flowers brown.
Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Honey bee collecting pollen from Common Sunflower
Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Phyllaries large and in several rows

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 211223

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