Helianthus giganteus, the giant sunflower or tall sunflower, is a species of Helianthus native to the eastern United States and eastern and central Canada, from Newfoundland west to Alberta south to Minnesota, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Helianthus giganteus is a perennial herbaceous plant native to the northern United States and southern Canada that can grow up to NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) tall with instances to 4m (13 feet). The leaves are approximately 1 inch wide by 7 inches long, and partly rough. The flower heads are bright yellow, up to 7frac=2NaNfrac=2 in diameter. They are most commonly found in valleys with wet meadows or swamps[1] and even near river banks.
The stalk is purple to red with spreading white hairs on it. The leaves are lancolate and alternate. This perennial sunflower has a fibrous root system and spreads by seed and rhizomes. These rhizomes will form a large clump.[2]
The Choctaw Indians of the southeastern United States have traditionally cultivated the Helianthus giganteus and made a palatable bread by mixing the ground sunflower seed with that of ground maize.[3]