NameThatPlant.net: Helianthus giganteus

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Asterales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Helianthus giganteus FAMILY Asteraceae Go to FSUS key

Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

Read more about Tall Sunflower at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Helianthus giganteus FAMILY Asteraceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-65-021:

Helianthus giganteus FAMILY Asteraceae

COMMON NAME:
Tall Sunflower, Swamp Sunflower, Tuberous Sunflower, Giant Sunflower

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Helianthus giganteus FAMILY Asteraceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Helianthus giganteus FAMILY Asteraceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-65-021:
Helianthus giganteus FAMILY Asteraceae

2737

Forb
Perennial

Habitat: bog edges, moist thickets, ditches, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common (uncommon in Mountains south of NC, rare in Coastal Plain south of VA)

CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly alternate, lowermost opposite
Petioles .3-1.5cm long

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Rays: Pale yellow
Disc: Yellow
Inferior ovary
Disc flowers bisexual & fertile/ Ray flowers pistillate but sterile

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Blackish/Brown
Achene

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!

If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".

Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".