Helianthus or sunflowers is a genus of plants
comprising about 70 species in the family Asteraceae, all of which are native to North America except three species in South
America. The common name, "sunflower,"
also applies to the popular annual species Helianthus annuus, the common sunflower. This and other species, notably Jerusalem artichoke, are
cultivated in temperate regions as food. Source
