Description

Key Information:

Soil: Mesic (Medium) – Xeric (Dry)
Sun: Full Sun
Height: 2-6 feet
Color: Yellow
Blooms: August – September

More Details:

Suggested Uses: Stiff Sunflower has very beautiful, bright golden flowers.  This plant is great addition to an upland prairie restoration project. The flowers are attractive to butterflies and beneficial insects and the seeds are attractive to birds.  The rhizomatous roots are aggressive – this plant is not suitable for small gardens but is a great addition to landscaping projects when given plenty of space.

Native Range: Native to the Midwest.

Pollinators/Habitat: High-value nectar source for adult monarch butterflies. The seeds are a source of food for birds and mammals.

Flowers:  Composite, daisy-like. The centers (disk flowers) are often brown or darker yellow than the “petals” (ray flowers). Flowers are 2-3″ in diameter. The flower bracts are flat, wide and come to a dull point at the top. Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) exhibit heliotropism. The flower heads track the sun throughout the day.

Leaves: The leaves are often diamond shaped. They have a rough texture and are usually 3-8″ long. Stems frequently turn a dark red or brown later in the summer.

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

More information: USDA plant profile