Description

Key Information:

Soil: Mesic (Medium) – Xeric (Dry)
Sun: Full Sun – Part Sun
Height: 3 feet
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Season: July – September

More Details:

Suggested Uses: Western Sunflower tolerates dry gravelly and sandy soils and can be found in upland prairies. It is one of the shorter and less aggressive Helianthus/Sunflower species making it one of the better choices for a garden.

Native Range: Native to the Midwest and parts of Appalachia and the South. Native to the eastern border of Minnesota.

Pollinators/Habitat:  Mostly pollinated by bees. These flowers are attractive to butterflies and beneficial insects too. The seeds are enjoyed by birds!

Flowers: Both flower centers (disk flowers) and “petals” (ray flowers) are yellow. Flowers are 1-3″ in diameter. Usually 1-3 flowers per plant. Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) exhibit heliotropism. The flower heads track the sun throughout the day.

Leaves: Western sunflowers generally have a rosette of basal leaves at the base of the plant and a limited number of opposite-attached leaves up the stem. Leaves are oval or triangular in shape.

Name: “Helianthus” means “sunflower” in Greek.

Other Names: Fewleaf Sunflower.

More information: USDA plant profile