This section is from the book "The Flower-Garden; Or, Breck's Book Of Flowers", by Joseph Breck. Also available from Amazon: The Flower-Garden: Or, Breck's Book Of Flowers.
Heliantkics, from Greek, signifying the sun and a flower. Nothing can be a more complete ideal representation of the sun, than the gigantic annual Sun-flower, with its golden rays. It is dedicated, with great propriety, to the sun; but the idea, entertained by some, that the flowers are turned to the sun at all hours of the day, is erroneous.
There are varieties of indigenous perennial Sun-flowers, that produce a profusion of yellow flowers in autumn; which, being generally tall-growing plants, (from four to six feet high,) might be an additional ornament to extensive shrubberies.
Helianthus multiflora. - Many-flowered. - The double variety of this plant has large deep-yellow flowers, in August and September, of the size and form of the Dahlia. It has thick, fleshy roots, every piece of which will make a strong plant when planted in the spring. I have found it rather tender in moist ground, but in dry locations, with a little protection, it stands the winter; - five to six feet high.
 
Continue to: