Sunflower Helianthus atrorubens
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Sunflower:
- Phonetic Spelling
- hee-lee-AN-thus a-tro-ROO-bens
- Description
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Sunflower is a herbaceous perennial that may grow 3 to 5 feet tall. The leaves are opposite with a smooth margin. White hairs extend down the margin of the leaves. The stem is coarsely hairy. Large, yellow flowers with a brown center first mature in mid-summer and continue into late fall.
Helianthus atrorubens is found in rocky, clay or sandy soils of woodlands and along road banks. It excels in open woodland gardens, cottage gardens, and mixed perennial beds and attracts bees, butterflies. Woodland birds collect the seed.
Fire Risk: This plant has a medium flammability rating.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Helianthus
- Species:
- atrorubens
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern US
- Distribution:
- It is found in the coastal states of Midatlantic to Southeastern US, the Gulf Coast, plus the inland states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers provide nectar to pollinators from July until the first frost. This is a larval host plant that supports Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis). The Silvery Checkerspot has at least 1-2 broods in the north from June-July in the deep south and Texas, they have as many as 3-4 broods from May through September. Its seeds are favored by songbirds, ruffed grouse, quail, morning doves, and small mammals.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Displays from September to November
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- The 2 inch wide daisy-like flowers have 10-15 yellow rays surrounding a dark purple-brown disk. There are several flowers on individual 3" pedicels. Blooms from July to October
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are hairy and rough on top, pubescent on the bottom. The leaf size gets noticeably smaller as the leaves reach inflorescence. Leaf pairs appear in a whorled pattern around the stem. Petioles often have a winged appearance.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The lower stem is quite hairy, it becomes pubescent to glabrous (smooth) as the leaf pairs reduce in size toward the upper part of the stem.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Dry Soil
