A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Unknown Sunflower Type Flowers?

Hi everyone! I know this is a horrible pic, but these aren't my plants so I kind of hurried to get this pic so no one would see me and think I was nuts.. LOL! Anyways, they're very tall like sunflowers, I'd say about 6 ft tall, or maybe more. But the flowers are small (about the size of a Shasta Daisy). Can anyone identify this? I hope so because I don't want to have to take another pic if at all possible

It's a Sunflower...possibly Maximilian's Sunflower, Helianthus maximiliani. There are so many that grow wild, it would be hard to come with a positive ID. Maximilian\'s Sunflower

Thanks for your reply, Rosie! I'm thinking that it's probably not that one because of the leaves. I found this page with the leaves and they don't seem to match. Let me know what you think:

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/mx_sunflowerx.htm

I also had 2 posters on another message board offer "Helianthus, 'Lemon Queen'", "some form of heliopsis", and "jerusalem artichoke". I'm so lost after looking at all of those, because they're so similar! I'm thinking it looks a lot like the Jerusalem Artichoke. What do you think? Maybe I'll need to take a better picture. LOL!

I think it is definitely in the Helianthus family, whether it's plain ol' Sunflower or Jerusalem Artichoke, etc. It could be a form of Heliopsis...I just don't know. Way too many cultivars of each to make a positive ID. Sorry.

No problem, Rosie! I totally understand because I'm lost after looking at all these pictures, too! I never knew there were so many so similar. Thanks again!

daylily,

I remember seeing WILD sunflowers growing on the farm I was raised on in South Texas. They would often grow to 6 feet and sometimes a little taller. They had very small flowers like you mentioned. I know that there are tons to have to choose from. But I have to say that I never saw anyone growing them in a flower bed or garden, lol. But we always thought of them as a weed that the cows couldn't eat...

But I can see wanting to plant something like this in a flower bed (now that I'm not around them everyday).

Have fun, if you do get them!