A giant among annuals. Give them plenty of room and you will be rewarded with plants up to 3m tall with huge yellow flowers often 30cm in diameter. Useful to grow against an unsightly shed or fence. Birds love the seeds so grow a few plants close to the house and watch them feed in the autumn. Flowers summer.The buds, petals and seeds are all edible. Add the petals to a green salad for a colour contrast and a mild nutty taste. The green buds can be blanched, then tossed in garlic butter; they are similar in flavour to a Jerusalem artichoke. The kernels inside the seeds can be eaten raw or toasted as a snack.