Sunflowers are native to the Americas. The earliest known examples of a fully domesticated sunflower were found at the Olmec site of San Andrés dating some time before 2500 B.C.[1] The Incas used the sunflower as an image of their sun god. Gold images of the flower, as well as seeds, were taken back to Europe early in the 16th century.
The Giant sunflower (Hlianthus giganteus) is native to Connecticut. They can grow to be between 3 and 12 feet tall. Their flower heads can be between 2 to 3 inches wide. They are most commonly found in valleys with wet meadows or swamps. The Giant sunflower grows between July and October.