Desert Sunflower

This colossal flower grows up to 11.9 feet (3.6 meters) tall. Its silver stem is very thin and straight with a curved tip, and the giant, drab yellow leaves are finger-like with ripped edges. Many leaves grow at the base of the stem, and more leaves alternate on the stem from about halfway up, up to the flower head.

Two large flowers sit at the end of the stem. The flowers are 23 cm (9.1 inches) wide, with solid light brown petals decorated with crimson lines and a azure central disk. The flower head is made up of many petals; the lower layer of petals are flat, while the upper layers form a tight bowl. They are sturdy.

It has an overpowering scent that smells like honeysuckle, and it has a modest amount of pollen. It is pollinated by a small species of bird.