We received this perennial sunflower by a seed exchange several years ago. So far we haven`t seen it in the catalogues of other nurseries. It is a very large and impressive plant. After three years our oldest plants were higher than a man stands. According to the books it reaches double this size in its native home. From August to October the plant is in bloom and cover with masses of `small` sunflowers (their diameter is still around 10 cms). We found that it makes a very good cut flower. The roots of this sunflower can be dug eaten like those of the closely related Jerusalem Artichoke. It is said that they were staple food for some native American tribes. The plant likes a sunny spot that should not be too moist. It is named after Prince Maximilian Alexander Philipp zu Wied-Neuwied, an explorer of the early 19th century.