Heliopsis helianthoides - False Sunflower - 38 Plug Tray

Early false sunflower is a short-lived herbaceous perennial that grows in a wide range of full sun settings from dry, well-drained soils to moist, fertile soils. It puts on a bright and showy floral display from summer to fall. Four foot stems are decorated with oppositely arranged, lance-shaped leaves that are textured like sandpaper. This handsome plant is topped with deep golden sunflower-like blooms with brown, coned centers. Early false sunflower resembles the true sunflowers in the genus Helianthus, though both its ray and disk florets are able to produce seeds; in Helianthus only the disk florets are able to produce seeds. Interestingly, in the related genus Silphium, only the ray florets are able to produce seeds.

The nectar and pollen of early false sunflower attract a huge diversity of bees, flies, beetles, and butterflies. Use this plant in pollinator gardens, cottage gardens, and naturalized prairie settings.