Dwarf Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Named after the flower's resemblance to the sun, Helianthus is derived from two Greek words, helio sun and anthos flower. This beautiful plant was originally domesticated in the Americas. The subject of lore and paintings, it is an important agricultural crop today. Our mini-sunflower is a French dwarf variety that is easy to grow indoors on any sunny windowsill.