Helianthus or
sunflowers (from the ,
Helios, "sun" and ,
anthos, "flower")
L. is a
genus of
plants comprising about 70 species in the family
Asteraceae. Except for three species in
South America, all
Helianthus species are native to
North America. The common name, "sunflower," also applies to the popular annual species
Helianthus annuus, the common sunflower. This and other species, notably
Jerusalem artichoke (
H. tuberosus), are cultivated in
temperate regions as food crops and ornamental plants.
