Helianthus salicifolius - WILLOWLEAF SUNFLOWER (tall &unique)

Extraordinary looking native perennial sunflower, with very architectural appearance and arching narrow willow-like leaves.

The ornamental value is higher before it blooms. It's late bloomer (3" yellow flowers with dark centers), slowly spread by rhizomes and can form big colonies in time.

This is tough, heat, humidity and drought tolerant plant, which is often used in dry, sandy, rocky or leaner soils, where stays much shorter and better behaved (is often used on roof gardens too). In richer and more moist soils can reach 10' and also can flop.

Again, this unique plant is more known and used in Europe, while hardly known in USA (where it's also often mislabeled and confused with Helianthus angustifolius - Narrow-leaved Sunflower).

Can be grown in average soils in larger beds as a background plant.

We're very happy that finally we managed to offer this gorgeous environmentally benefitial plant (sunflowers are the key species for many insects).

Blooming Time: late summer, fall (usually from August)
Size: Size depewnds on the soil conditions - in drained and dry soil will reach only 4' of height and will be less spreading. In mor moist and more frtile soils will reach 8-10' tall x 3' wide
USDA Zones: 4 to 9 (heat zones 6-9)
Culture: full sun, average soils, drained soil, rocky soils, sandy soil, neutral or alkaline pH
Moisture Needs: medium-dry, medium (can flop here, if too many nutrients)
Origin: native to IL, KS, MD, MO, NY, OK, TX and WI, where can be found in limestone prairies or rocky outcrops, on alkaline soils
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: young shoots can be browsed (?), but mature plants are not bothered by the deer / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: yes / yes
Attracts Hummingbirds: no, but other small birds eat the seeds
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 4" deep perennial pot

Picture copyright: 1,2 - Sam Bahr, University of Maryland, 3 - Peter Korn, Klinta, 4 - M a n u e l (M. Martin Vicente), Commons Wikimedia

Plant combinations: Use in leaner, gritty, sandy, rocky or shallower soils, roof gardens etc - here it stays much shorter and where can be used with many drought tolerant perennials (see Peter Korn's sand garden picture). Or as a background plant combined with shrubs, and tall perennials like Asters, Echinacea, tall Hemerocallis, Helenium, tall Solidago, Vernonia, or tall grasses - Andropogon gerardii, Panicum virgatum or Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster.'