What is Sunflower?
{{Taxobox | name = Sunflower | image = Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de La Blanca, Cardejón, España, 2012-09-01, DD 02 cropped.JPG | image_width = 260px | image_caption = Field of sunflowers in [[Spain]]. | regnum = [[Plantae]] | divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Asterales]] | familia = [[Asteraceae]] | tribus = [[Heliantheae]] | genus = ''[[Helianthus]]'' | binomial = ''Helianthus annuus'' | binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]}} The '''common''' '''sunflower''' (''Helianthus annuus'') is a living [[annual plant]] in the family [[Asteraceae]], with a large flower head (''capitulum''). The stem of the flower can grow up to 3 [[metre]]s tall, with a flower head that can be 30&nbsp;cm wide. Other types of sunflowers include the California Royal Sunflower, which has a [[burgundy]] ([[red]] + [[purple]]) flower head. The flower head is actually an [[inflorescence]] made of hundreds or thousands of tiny flowers called florets. The central florets look like the centre of a normal flower, a[[pseudanthium]]. The benefit to the plant is that it is very easily seen by the insects and birds which pollinate it, and it produces thousands of seeds. The sunflower is the state flower of [[Kansas]]. That is why Kansas is sometimes called the Sunflower State. To grow well, sunflowers need full sun. They grow best in fertile, wet, well-drained soil with a lot of mulch. In commercial planting, seeds are planted 45&nbsp;cm (1.5&nbsp;ft) apart and 2.5&nbsp;cm (1&nbsp;in) deep. == Description == [[Image:Helianthus whorl.jpg|thumb|Head displaying florets in spirals of 34 and 55 around the outside]] [[File:Solrosfrön - Sunflowerseeds - Ystad-2022.jpg|thumb|sunflower seeds.]] The outer petal-bearing florets are the sterile florets and can be yellow, red, orange, or other colors. The florets inside the circular head are called disc florets, which mature into seeds. The flower petals within the sunflower's cluster are always in a [[phyllotaxis|spiral pattern]]. Generally, each f