Helianthus lenticularis
Wild Sunflower
an annual member of the Helianthus genus in the family Compositae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Compositae
- Genus
- Helianthus
- Life cycle
- annual
- Height
- 3 m
- Fertility
- Bees, Flies
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Flies
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - raw or cooked[2]. The seed can be dried and ground into a powder then used with cereal flowers in making breads, cakes and rich soups[3]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[3]. The roasted shells, after the starch has been removed, or the roasted seeds, can be used in preparing a coffee-like beverage[3].
- Product or use
- Coffee
- Product or use
- Oil
- Plant part
- Seed
Environment
- Range
- N. America - Minnesota to North Dakota, Idaho, Missouri, Texas and California.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow in mid spring in situ. An earlier start can be made by sowing 2 - 3 seeds per pot in a greenhouse in early spring. Use a fairly rich compost. Thin to the strongest seedling, give them an occasional liquid feed to make sure they do not become nutrient deficient and plant them out in late spring or early summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position[1]. Requires a rich soil[1]. Dislikes shade[1]. The young growth is extremely attractive to slugs, plants can be totally destroyed by them[K]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[5]. Probably no more than the wild form of the cultivated sunflower, H. annuus, it is treated as a sub-species of that by many botanists[1][4].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00