Helianthus occidentalis
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Tried and True Recommended by 3 Professionals
Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: sunflower
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Native Range: Minnesota to Ohio, Florida, and Texas
Garden Location: Christopher Biraben Butterfly Meadow, Birch Mahaffey Carpenter Butterfly Pavilion
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Spread: 1.5 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: August to September
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Description: Orange-yellow rays and yellow disks
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Wildlife: Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies
Tolerates: Clay Soil, Dry Soil, Shallow, Rocky Soil, Drought, Deer
Uses: Cut Flower, Erosion Control, Will Naturalize

Culture

Best grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soils, including poor sandy soils, humusy loams and clays. Avoid unamended heavy clay soils however. Tolerates dry soils and drought. Spreads over time by creeping rhizomes to form large colonies. Plants may be divided every 3-4 years to control spread and to maintain plant vigor.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Western sunflower is one of the shortest of the many sunflowers that are native to the United States. It is a Missouri native plant that occurs in glades, prairies, dry meadows, fields and rocky open woods in central and southern Missouri (Steyermark). Large, long-stalked, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, basal leaves (to 8” long) form a 4-8” tall foliage clump. Sunflowers (to 2” diameter) with orange-yellow rays and yellow disks appear on stiff, almost naked, flower stems that typically rise to a height of 2-3’ (less frequently to 4’) tall. Blooms from mid-summer to fall. Occidentalis means west in the sense that North America is west of Europe. Western sunflower is actually native to eastern and cental North America, not western North America. This plant is also sometimes commonly called naked stemmed sunflower and fewleaf sunflower in reference to the almost total absence of leaves from the flowering stems.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Taller plants may need some staking or other support.

Garden Uses

Sunny borders, wild or native plant gardens, cottage gardens, naturalized areas or prairies. A good plant for holding dry soils and preventing erosion.

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Helianthus maximiliani
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