Description

Helianthus annuus, the common sunflower, is a tall annual herb of the family Asteraceae, native to the central and western plains of North America, where it was first domesticated by Native American peoples for its edible seeds and oil approximately 5,000 years ago. Introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and subsequently diffused globally, it now ranks among the world’s five most important oilseed crops by production volume. The large, flattened achene seeds are nutritionally dense, containing 40–55% linoleic acid-rich fixed oil, tocopherols (vitamin E), B vitamins, selenium, and arginine. In South Asian traditional dietary medicine, the seeds are incorporated in nutritive preparations supporting cardiovascular health, skin nourishment, and general tonic applications. India cultivates sunflowers in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra as a major Kharif oilseed crop.