Life Span
Annual and Perennial
  
Annual
  
Type
Cactus or Succulent
  
Flowering Plants
  
Origin
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, South America
  
North America
  
Types
Not avilable
  
Helianthus annuus, Heliantheae,
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Desert
  
Dry areas, Open areas, Prairies
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
  
3-10
  
AHS Heat Zone
Not Available
  
12-1
  
Sunset Zone
Not Available
  
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Weeping
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Dark Salmon, Sandy Brown, White, Yellow
  
Brown, Yellow
  
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Green
  
Black, Chocolate, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Not Available
  
Dark Green, Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Not Available
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Not Available
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Succulent
  
Oval
  
Thorns
Yes
  
No
  
Plant Season
Not Available
  
Summer
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial shade
  
Bright direct sunlight
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Very Fast
  
Type of Soil
Sand
  
Dry, Light, Well drained
  
The pH of Soil
Alkaline, Neutral, Not Available
  
Acidic, Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Early Summer, Late Spring, Late Winter, Mid Spring
  
Early Fall, Early Summer, Fall, Late Spring, Late Summer, Summer
  
Repeat Bloomer
Not Available
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Not Available
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
  
Container, Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
  
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Not Available
  
Acidic, Alkaline
  
Soil Type
Not Available
  
Dry, Light, Well drained
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Not Available
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Not Available
  
Bright direct sunlight
  
Pruning
Not Available
  
Prune ocassionally, Requires little pruning
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Not Available
  
Alternaria leaf blight, Apical chlorosis, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Botrytis head rot, Charcoal rot, Crown gall, Downy mildew, Erwinia stalk rot, Fusarium stalk rot, Fusarium wilt, head rot, Phialophora yellows, Stem spot
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Yes
  
Yes
  
Flower Petal Number
Semi-Double
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Bold
  
Coarse
  
Foliage Sheen
Not Available
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Birds, Butterflies
  
Allergy
Itchiness
  
Runny nose, Red eyes, Watery eyes, Sore eyes, Itchy eyes
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Hanging Basket, Showy Purposes
  
Beautification, Bouquets, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Not Available
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Not Available
  
Pulmonary afflictions
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Nut
  
Flowers, Seeds, Stem
  
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for Landscaping
  
As Fertilizers, Economic Purpose, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for producing cooking oil
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Not Available, Tropical
  
Bedding Plant, Bonsai, Container, Edging, Edible, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Vegetable
  
Botanical Name
Selenicereus pteranthus
  
Helianths Annuus
  
Common Name
Selenicereus, Moonlight cactus
  
Sunflower
  
In Hindi
moonlight cactus
  
Sūrajamukhī
  
In German
Selenicereus
  
Sonnenblume
  
In French
Selenicereus
  
Tournesol
  
In Spanish
Selenicereus
  
Girasol
  
In Greek
Selenicereus
  
ηλιοτρόπιο
  
In Portuguese
Selenicereus
  
Girassol
  
In Polish
Selenicereus
  
słonecznik
  
In Latin
moonlight cactus
  
Helianthus
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Tracheophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Caryophyllales
  
Asterales
  
Family
Cactaceae
  
Asteraceae
  
Genus
Selenicereus
  
Heilanthus
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Not Available
  
Tribe
Hylocereeae
  
Heliantheae
  
Subfamily
Cactoideae
  
Helianthodeae
  
Number of Species
Not Available