Helianthus annuus
The sunflower is a tall plant known for its showy yellow flower.
There are more than 60 species of sunflowers. The chief sunflower states are Kansas, Minnesota,North Dakota, and South Dakota.Sunflower seeds are rich in protein. They yield a high quality vegetable oil used in making margarine and cooking oil. Some varieties of sunflowers have large striped seeds, which are roasted for snack food or blended with other grains to make birdseed. Special oil-seed varieties produce small black seeds that contain up to 50 per cent oil. Sunflower oil is the world's third most important vegetable oil. Only soybean oil and palm oilare produced in greater abundance. Sunflower oil is sometimes used as a replacement for diesel fuel.