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Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian Sunflower) - One of our north American native sunflowers. This plant is a wonderful large surprise for the back of the border where there is room for this beauty. From a basal cluster of foliage emerge 6 to 8 feet tall stems bearing 1- to 3-inch-long lance-shaped and slightly-undulating green leaves and terminating in 3" to 4" wide bright yellow sunflowers in fall.
Plant in full sun to light shade and give little to regular irrigation. The more you water the bigger it gets. Cut to the ground in late fall or early winter. Hardy into zone 4 (<-20).
Helianthus maximiliani is native to the Great Plains of central North America. The name of the genus comes from the Greek words 'helios' meaning "sun" and 'anthos' meaning "flower" because its round flower heads in combination with the ligules look like the Sun. The specific epithet honors the naturalist Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, Germany, who led an expedition into the American West in the 1830s.
We received this plant from John Greenlee who received it from southern designer Ryan Gainey and grew this fun plant from 2002 to 2005. Though we stopped selling this plant we had plants in the nursery garden that flowered each fall and we later grew the similar but even larger Helianthus giganteus.
The information displayed on this page about Helianthus maximiliani is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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