Also known as cucumberleaf sunflower, and East Coast dune sunflower, this short-lived tender perennial is a native of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the US where it grows in sandy soil of beach dunes, coastal grasslands, sand hills, and scrub. It is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. Plants have a taproot and airy, branching stems sometime mottled with red-brown, that may be 4-6′ tall and decumbent or erect. The dark green, glossy, deltoid leaves are up to 4″ long, roughly pubescent, and irregular lobed and toothed. The 3″ wide flowerheads appear all through the growing season, have 10-21 yellow ray flowers surrounding a center of purplish disc flowers, and are attractive to butterflies. Plants are very salt tolerant, drought tolerant and aggressively self seed. They are often grown as a ground cover and are useful in the border, on a wall or as an edger, as well as being a good choice for seaside, butterfly, wildlife, or native plant garden. The genus name, Helianthus, comes from the Greek words helios, meaning sun, and anthos meaning flower and may refer to the resemblance of the flowerhead to the sun. The specific epithet, debilis, is the Latin word for weak or feeble and refers to the decumbent stems.
Type: Short-lived, tender perennial
Bloom: Flowerheads 3″ wide with yellow ray flowers around a center of purplilsh disc flower throughout the growing season
Size: 4-6′ H
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average, dry to medium moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 8-10
Care: Low maintenance
Pests and Diseases: Downy mildew
Propagation: Seed, stem cuttings
Companion Plants: Saltmeadow cordgrass, sea oats, beach evening primrose, seaside goldenrod
Outstanding Selections:
‘UNF Radiance’ ( light yellow flowers)
Photo Credit: Wikimedia