The wild sunflower is the official state flower of Kansas — the tall, golden bloom that gives the “Sunflower State” its name.

• Official flower: Sunflower
• Scientific name: Helianthus annuus
• Year adopted: 1903
• Native range: North America

About the sunflower

Kansas adopted the native sunflower in 1903, calling it “a flower which is indigenous, hardy, and conspicuous.” Wild sunflowers line roadsides and fields across the state, their broad golden heads turning to follow the sun when young.

Where it grows

The common sunflower is native across North America and grows abundantly throughout Kansas in prairies, fields, and roadsides, blooming in summer and early autumn.

Kansas state flower FAQs

What is the state flower of Kansas?

Kansas’s state flower is the sunflower (Helianthus annuus), which it adopted in 1903.

When did Kansas adopt its state flower?

Kansas designated the sunflower as its official state flower in 1903.

Why is Kansas the Sunflower State?

Wild sunflowers grow so abundantly across Kansas that the plant became both its nickname and, in 1903, its official state flower.

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