Collection: Sunflower

North America's shining beauties. Sunflowers are native to North and Central America. The Genus 'Helianthus' has 70 species in total. The horticultural and agricultural industries have highly exploited just one of the seventy, (Helianthus annuus). Amazing modern F1hybrids dominate the ornamental gardens and cultivated fields  worldwide. Of the 36 perennial species ; The Maximilian Sunflower is the most popular as a cultivar. Here in the front range we find a handful of wild species hugging our roadsides and lower wetter areas in open fields. Interestingly, Sunflowers are used in phytoremediation for extracting lead, arsenic and uranium from the soil. And are used in rhizofiltration to filter toxic bacteria in water. Also being researched for their latex qualities being used as a hypoallergenic rubber.