Helianthus giganteus
Tall Sunflower

Often growing to over nine feet in height, these giants live up to their name. Most often encountered in Adrian muck soil at the margin between a mesic prairie and a marsh, they can be recognized by their reddish stems. They are always found with other tall plants in an herbaceous thicket; probably they would not be able to stand without the support of their neighbors. Like most sunflowers, they bloom in late summer.