This is a classic yellow sunflower with a dark center, and when it blooms, it is a delight for insects, birds, and gardeners alike. Using sunflowers as green manure may not be the first thing you think of, but with its strong root system, it is both competitive against weeds and beneficial for soil structure. It can also serve as a cover crop, binding nutrients that are released to the next crop as it decomposes. In the right spot, its tall stature can also act as a windbreak. Grow it in dense stands, cut it back for mulch or till it into the soil at around 20–30 cm in height, or let it stand longer to flower. Annual.