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Prairie sunflower

Helianthus petiolaris

Summary 8

Helianthus petiolaris, also known as prairie sunflower or lesser sunflower, originated in the western United States and has since spread east. It is a taller 3-5 foot flowering plant with erect stems and dark green leaves--some consider it a weed. They grow well in sandy areas.

Botanical Information 9

Helianthus petiolaris, known commonly as prairie sunflower, is a flowering herb found in the Aster family. It's genus is Helianthus L. It's leaves can be triangular, oval, or like a spear head shape with a rough texture and wavy edges. The leaves aren’t separated into leaflets but rather simple-branched or undivided while alternating per node. The leaf color usually varies from a dull green to a blueish-green. The flower can grow 1.5 to 3 inches across with 12 to 25 yellow petals and a .5 to 1 inch diameter dark brown center. The Helianthus petiolaris can have several flowers at the end of a stalk that can grow 1 to 6 feet tall. It produces a fruit, achenes, a ¼ inch fruit with a single seed. The flower begins to bloom in between June and September, with the sun being the strongest in summer.

Ecological Information 10

Prairie sunflower are found in well drained sandy areas, but can also grow in heavy clay soil and dry prairies. It needs direct sunlight in order to grow and cannot thrive in shady places. This plant provides a food source for many species of animals. Young plants can be completely consumed by slugs.

Ethnobotanical Information 10

The prairie sunflower may be seen as a weed to some, however it can be used for healing, eating, and landscaping. Crushing the flower’s leaves into a powder and applying it to sores or swelling can help with ceasing the problem. The edibility of the plant would be the seeds, raw or cooked. The seeds can be grounded into seed butter for consumption. According to documents within the Native American Ethnobotany Database, the Hopi Nation has used this plant for ceremonial face powder and decorations. (Note: Ethnobotanical reports often lack important contextual information and relevant traditional ecological knowledge.) Many people find the plant beautiful and use it as decoration in their yards for the ability to forever gaze upon its golden rays.

References 10

Minnesota Wildflowers. (n.d.). Helianthus petiolaris. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/prairie-sunflower

Native American Ethnobotany Database. (n.d.). Helianthus petiolaris.
Retrieved August 19, 2021, from http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Helianthus+petiolaris

Plants for a Future. (n.d). Plants for a Future. (n.d). Helianthus petiolaris. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Helianthus+petiolaris

About the Author 11

Student author(s)*: Adriana F from Atrisco Heritage High School

*The entries in this field guide have been edited by Yerba Mansa Project staff to ensure that they contain quality, fact-checked content and standardized formatting. https://yerbamansaproject.org/

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Patrick Alexander, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/26246711@N00/2775650382
  2. (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/7347139562/
  3. (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/6463163619/
  4. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/14685973988/
  5. (c) Andrey Zharkikh, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/zharkikh/34915967250/
  6. (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/6463162837/
  7. (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/6463165497/
  8. Adapted by caseynm from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  9. Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helianthus_petiolaris
  10. Adapted by Kiley Spurlock from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  11. Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Uses edible, medicinal
Type herb
Life cycle annual
Native yes
Habitat dry sandy soil
Flower yellow
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