Sunflower

Sunflower, (genus Helianthus), genus of nearly 70 species of herbaceous plants of the aster family (Asteraceae). Sunflowers are native primarily to North and South America, and some species are cultivated as ornamentals for their spectacular size and flower heads and for their edible seeds. The Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is cultivated for its edible underground tubers.