Common Name: showy goldeneye
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: July to September
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Annual
Flower: Showy, Good Cut
Attracts: Birds, Butterflies
Tolerate: Deer, Drought, Erosion, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates some light shade. Tolerates drought. Generally tolerates a wide range of soils, including poor, infertile ones. May be grown as an annual by starting seed indoors in late January to early February. In the alternative, seed may be planted directly in the garden after last spring frost date.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Heliopsis multiflora, commonly called goldeneye, is an upright, clump-forming perennial of the aster family that typically grows to 1-4’ tall. It is noted for producing a mid to late summer (July–September) bloom of small-headed, sunflower-like flowers (to 1 1/2” diameter) featuring golden yellow rays surrounding yellow to bronze-yellow center cones. Each flower is subtended by a whorl of involucre bracts in 2-5 rows. Goldeneye is native to dry soils in sunny areas of foothills, meadows, slopes, alpine regions near timberline and roadsides from Idaho and Montana south to California and Texas with a concentration in montane areas of the Rocky Mountains. Flowers bloom atop stiff stems clad with rough, narrow-ovate to lanceolate-linear, opposite, leaves (each to 1-3” long) with entire to slightly serrated margins.
This species is closely related to Helianthus (true sun flower), except flowers are smaller and more numerous. Formerly known by the synonymous name of Viguiera multiflora.
This flower was first named Heliomeris multiflora in 1848 by Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859), British botanist. It was later named Viguiera multiflora in 1918 by S. F. Blake in honor of Alexandre L. Viguier (1790-1867) of Vermont, with this synonymous genus name of Viguiera still persisting at present as the accepted genus name among some experts.
Genus name is from the Greek helios meaning sun and meris meaning part.
Specific epithet from Latin means many-flowered in reference to its profuse bloom of summer flowers.
‘Sunsplash’ produces an abundant bloom of bicolor flowers which feature light yellow rays with creamy white margins and yellow center cones. It is more compact than the species, typically growing to 24” tall.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Red aphids are occasional visitors. Reportedly has some resistance to powdery mildew.
Uses
Rock gardens, beds, borders and meadows. Edging. Often short-termed perennial that is sometimes grown as an annual. Containers.