Helianthus sp.
Sunflower, Sunflower
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Annual · Variable; species dependent
Helianthus sp. (Sunflower) is a non-native California annual in the Asteraceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Encelia: Helianthus is herbaceous with soft stems; Encelia is a woody shrub with persistent branches.; vs Bahiopsis: Helianthus has soft herbaceous stems; Bahiopsis is woody-based with persistent woody stems.; vs Wyethia: Helianthus has smaller disk flowers and readily falling seed scales; Wyethia has very large 8-12mm disk flowers.; vs Rudbeckia: Helianthus has a flat or rounded yellow center; Rudbeckia has a tall dark cone-shaped center.; vs Venegasia: Helianthus dies back to ground level; Venegasia is a large evergreen shrub in shaded canyons.
Frequently asked questions
Is Helianthus sp. native to California?
No. Helianthus sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Helianthus sp. belong to?
Helianthus sp. is in the Asteraceae family, genus Helianthus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.