The sunflower is the state flower of the US state of Kansas, and one of the city flowers of Kitakyushu, Japan.

The sunflower is often used as a symbol of green ideology, much as the red rose is a symbol of socialism or social democracy. The sunflower is also the symbol of the Vegan Society. During the late nineteenth century, the flower was used as the symbol of the Aesthetic Movement.

Subject of Van Gogh's most famous still life, Sunflowers (series of paintings)

The sunflower is the national flower of Russia.