Gardening in the Coastal Southeast
  • home
    • more about the gardener
    • links to other websites
    • USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map
  • Contact
  • Plant Lists
  • Garden Topics
    • Benefits of Gardening
    • Color in the Garden
    • Exotic Pest Plants
    • Gardening for Bees
    • Gardening for Birds
    • Gardening for Butterflies
    • Pollination: the Purpose of Flowers
    • Lawn and Turf
    • Native Plants
    • Plant propagation
    • Plants in Containers
    • Public Gardens
    • A Rainforest Look
    • Reclaimed Water
    • Why Scientific Names Change
  • Travels

The Genus Heliopsis
Family Asteraceae

This is a small genus of herbaceous perennials native to North America and South America. Apparently, only one species (H. helianthoides) is commonly cultivated. 

The aster family, Asteraceae, is a huge genus of herbaceous and woody plants that is found around the world. Only the orchid family rivals the number of species in this family. They may be annuals, herbaceous perennials, shrubs, trees or vines. Important members of the family include tickseed (Coreopsis,) blanket flower (Gaillardia,) sunflower (Helianthus,) goldenrod (Solidago,) marigold (Tagetes,) ironweed (Vernonia) and zinnia (Zinnia.) 


Heliopsis helianthoides

Picture
Heliopsis helianthoides
ox eye sunflower

This is a herbaceous perennial that is reported to grow to five feet tall. The yellow daisies are large and produced in abundance. Plants tend to be short-lived for me (two to four years) but grow best in full sun in a well-drained, irrigated site. Reportedly, this plant grows from zone 3 to 9.

Plants are available in mail order catalogs. Plants are easily propagated by seeds and division. Reportedly, cuttings of the flower stalk (before flowering) may be rooted, also.

My plants grew to about three feet tall. They tend to disappear after a few years in dry soils, persisting a little longer where irrigated. Spring growth starts in late February or March. They flower from August to October. I had no volunteer seedlings appear.

Picture
H.helianthioides double
Web Hosting by iPage