Flower profile
Maximilian sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
Maximilian sunflower is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 6 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in August–November.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas
Quick look
Helianthus maximiliani is a North American species of sunflower known by the common name Maximilian sunflower.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 37 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota, Nebraska and North Dakota. NatureServe
- In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–November. iNaturalist
- In Oklahoma, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in September–December. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late summer. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 5 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 7,250 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #87 among the 109 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 447 research-grade sightings of it in Oklahoma, ranking #82 among the 110 flowers on our Oklahoma list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 385 research-grade sightings of it in Kansas, ranking #65 among the 109 flowers on our Kansas list. iNaturalist
Maximilian sunflower gift ideas
Handmade maximilian sunflower gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Maximilian sunflower art print
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Maximilian sunflower greeting card
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Maximilian sunflower mug
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Maximilian sunflower earrings
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Maximilian sunflower embroidery pattern
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Maximilian sunflower sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 6 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Native | August–November | 7,250 |
| Oklahoma | Native | September–December | 447 |
| Kansas | Native | few records | 385 |
| South Dakota | Native | few records | 167 |
| Nebraska | Native | few records | 160 |
| North Dakota | Native | few records | 63 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Texas
- Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
- Oklahoma
- No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
- Kansas
- No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S5, secure in Kansas.
- South Dakota
- No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
- Nebraska
- Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
- North Dakota
- No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “This sunflower provides food for birds and livestock.” NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Helianthus angustifolius (“Sunflower”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records maximilian sunflower in 37 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Texas counties with USDA records: Bandera, Bastrop, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque, Brazoria, Brazos, Brown, Burnet, Clay, Collin, Comal, Coryell, Crosby, Dallas, Eastland, Edwards, Erath, Fayette, Galveston, Garza, Gillespie, Grayson, Grimes, Hamilton, Hardeman, Harris, Hays, Hemphill, Hunt, Kendall, Kerr, Lamar, Lavaca, Leon, Lubbock, McLennan, Medina, Mills, Montague, Montgomery, Navarro, Parker, Potter, Randall, Rockwall, Shackelford, Sutton, Tarrant, Taylor, Travis, Val Verde, Walker, Washington, Williamson, Wilson.
Oklahoma counties with USDA records: Alfalfa, Beaver, Bryan, Cleveland, Comanche, Garfield, Grady, Greer, Marshall, McClain, Oklahoma, Payne, Pontotoc, Tulsa, Woods, Woodward.
Kansas counties with USDA records: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Graham, Gray, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sheridan, Smith, Stafford, Stevens, Sumner, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte.
More Texas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile HEMA2.
- iNaturalist, Helianthus maximiliani: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Helianthus maximiliani (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Texas: Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
- Texas: Texas noxious and invasive plant list (4 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.300(a)).
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
- Kansas: Kansas noxious weeds (K.A.R. 4-8-44, as amended 2026).
- South Dakota: South Dakota statewide noxious weeds (ARSD 12:62:03:01.06).
- Nebraska: Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004).
- Nebraska: Nebraska noxious weeds (25 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 10, § 001.02).
- North Dakota: North Dakota state noxious weeds (N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02), as listed by the ND Department of Agriculture.
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Helianthus maximiliani (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋） via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.