Helianthus angustifolius
My husband Wade runs a garden care enterprise and his purchasers who’re lively in backyard golf equipment and passionate about perennial backyard design typically share begins with him.
Certainly one of my absolute favorites is the swamp sunflower he obtained this fashion. This was, I don’t know, 15 years in the past?
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Since its arrival, the Helianthus angustifolius has been thriving in a tiny mattress beneath a downspout that’s at all times moist and generally a bit soggy.
It has reseeded alongside a close-by fence we share with a neighbor, the place in early fall it’s eight or 9 toes tall and creates a privateness fence.
Wade has additionally grown the divisions in a half-barrel-size container some years, and we at all times have seeds and divisions to share with our gardening pals.
It’s not the one sunflower I develop. I’m a giant fan of the annual varieties, the H. annuum varieties that present birds seed and should have extra-large blooms.
However for a low-maintenance perennial that can develop in moist circumstances, blooms within the fall, and may stand up to clay or sandy soil and occasional drought, I don’t suppose you’ll be able to beat the swamp sunflower.
If this feels like a plant you might get pleasure from in your personal house, I’m right here to share extra about its progress habits and endearing qualities. Right here’s what I’ll cowl:
What Are Swamp Sunflowers?
Swamp sunflowers are native to the japanese United States.
A part of the aster household, this is likely one of the perennial sunflowers that isn’t as broadly grown because the larger-bloomed, seed-heavy, annual varieties, H. annuum.
You may discover extra about rising and caring for annual sunflowers in our information.
Native sunflowers corresponding to H. angustifolius had been cultivated by indigenous tribes all through North America beginning about 3,000 BCE. The traditional tribes generally used these crops for meals, medication, dye, and paint.
These vegetation might have been domesticated even earlier than corn. Today, the flowers develop all through the US, thriving in floodplains, bogs, ponds, and better floor from New York to the coastal south and on over to Texas and Arizona.
Swamp sunflowers are also referred to as “narrow-leaf sunflowers” as a result of uncommon form of their darkish inexperienced, tough foliage.
The leaves are a reasonably panorama aspect on their very own, lush and inexperienced, and so they present visible curiosity beginning in early spring and persevering with till the vegetation die again in late autumn.
The plant spreads through rhizomes, typically masking as much as 4 toes in a single season. In hotter areas, the vegetation will return annually, and they’re additionally self-seeding.
To be taught extra in regards to the distinction between annual and perennial sunflowers, see our information.
The stems often attain 5 to eight toes tall, relying on the range, however some might soar to 10 toes or extra. The vegetation bloom in late summer season and proceed for 45 to 60 days, so they supply a supply of shade within the fall backyard, too.
They’re pollinator magnets for varied bugs, and their foliage attracts the larvae of checkerspot butterflies (Chlosynes spp.).
Songbirds are additionally interested in the meaty seeds – although they’re not massive sufficient to be worthwhile for human consumption.
The swamp sunflower grows in circumstances that thwart most different perennial flowers, together with coastal salt air, sandy soil, and moist circumstances. When you’re involved in gaining all these benefits, extra rising data is coming.
Propagation
The best method to propagate a swamp sunflower is from divisions. You probably have a supply, hurray!
Learn to divide perennials in our information. Doing this within the fall after blooming is preferable, or in early spring as soon as the dad or mum plant is a couple of inches tall.
You might also be capable of discover divisions to buy from an area native plant nursery.
Transplant into the backyard instantly, setting every division right into a gap the identical dimension because the pot it got here in or deep sufficient in order that the rhizome is roofed and the crown is at soil stage.
Backfill with backyard soil and water in nicely.
You’ll wish to maintain the soil moist for the primary two months. After they’re established, they’ll be okay in case your space experiences occasional dry spells, although these vegetation develop finest with constant moisture.
You may also sow seeds both indoors or straight into the backyard.
Plant them indoors about 4 weeks earlier than your space’s final frost utilizing a sterile potting combine and a shallow tray or particular person cells.
Press the seeds into the floor with out burying them, spacing them two per cell or about 4 inches aside.
Maintain them moist and in a room temperature space, and they need to sprout inside seven to 12 days.
Place the sprouts on a sunny windowsill or about eight inches beneath a develop mild, and maintain the soil moist till the vegetation have a minimum of two units of true leaves.
As soon as the specter of frost has handed, spend per week or so hardening off the seedlings earlier than transplanting them outside.
To sow the seeds straight outside, press them into the soil floor and canopy them with solely a nice dusting of soil. They want mild to germinate.
Maintain them moist till they sprout, and as soon as the seedlings have two or three units of true leaves, skinny them to face a minimum of 12 inches aside.
I’ll admit that I don’t fear in regards to the spacing when my vegetation self-seed, however I’ll pull a couple of of the vegetation if they begin rising so shut collectively that they don’t get sufficient water and begin wilting.
When you’ve obtained the vegetation in place, swamp sunflowers are comparatively carefree. Maintain studying for extra tips about rising these native perennials.
How one can Develop
The entire level of rising a plant with a reputation like “swamp sunflower” is to have fairly blooms in a usually inhospitable spot.
So please do plant these sunny flowers in a spot with poorly draining soil.
You may develop them in well-draining soil, and so they’ll admittedly be happiest there, however they will additionally deal with half clay with poor drainage. Satirically, they’ll additionally do nice in sandy soil.
As for the solar, they’ll do finest in full solar, six to eight hours per day. But when that soggy spot you’re trying to fill solely affords partial solar or half shade publicity, they’ll make do.
You may put together the soil by including composted manure or different aged natural materials forward of time, working a two-inch layer into the highest 4 or 5 inches of soil. However if you happen to’re not inclined to go to that a lot hassle, this plant will thrive anyhow.
You’ll want to give the vegetation ample house. They’ll unfold as a lot as 4 toes huge, so allow them to have room to keep away from powdery mildew.
As for water, nicely, that’s a necessity. If rain doesn’t present an inch or so per week throughout the rising season, you must complement with water from a hose or watering can, being cautious to water on the soil floor, not from above the leaves.
As soon as the vegetation are established and a few months outdated, they will even stand up to a interval of drought. As I mentioned, they’re very straightforward to look after.
Rising Ideas
- Plant in full solar if doable, or half shade.
- Permit a minimum of 12 inches between vegetation to allow them to unfold.
- Maintain soil moist till vegetation are established and may deal with drier circumstances.
Pruning and Upkeep
These vegetation don’t want mulch or fertilizer, however I like to recommend one upkeep step: Pruning.
When you pinch the stems again to about half their top in midsummer, earlier than they’ve began budding, they’ll be fuller, extra bushy, and received’t look as scraggly after they bloom.
When you miss the chance although, don’t fret. They’ll nonetheless look interesting with gangly, 10-foot swathes of yellow blooms bending over the soggy patch in your native planting space or border.
The place to Purchase
I fervently hope you might have a pal with swamp sunflowers to acquire saved seeds or a division or two with out problem.
You could possibly discover a division at a local plant nursery in your space too, or maybe through an area gardener’s group.
Swamp Sunflowers
It’s additionally doable to search out seeds on-line. One stable possibility is the swamp sunflowers accessible from Chuxay Backyard through Amazon in 100-seed packets.
Managing Pests and Illness
Fortunately, this native perennial doesn’t incur as many pests and illnesses as its H. annuum kinfolk prized for his or her seeds.
The sunflower midges that plague the massive seed heads received’t strike the extra modest blooms, for instance.
Deer and rabbits might munch on the leaves, however provided that they don’t have extra interesting choices within the spring and summer season backyard. And for the reason that seeds are smaller and fewer plentiful, squirrels received’t often strike both.
As for insect pests, some caterpillars and beetles would possibly gnaw on the leaves, however they received’t maintain the vegetation from blooming later.
When you like, you’ll be able to take measures to spray the foliage, however I want to let the vegetation develop on since insect pests don’t do an excessive amount of harm, and varied pesticides can harm the pollinators that depend upon vegetation like swamp sunflowers.
There’s a likelihood these moisture-loving vegetation will endure illnesses together with powdery mildew, rust, or fungal leaf spots.
Right here, too, the harm is ordinarily minor, and the vegetation can thrive with out intervention. If the looks bothers you although, it’s possible you’ll wish to strive an natural fungicide corresponding to copper.
For extra tips about dealing with darkling beetles, sunflower beetles, thistle caterpillars, and wireworms, see our information to sunflower pests.
Finest Makes use of
Whereas they don’t yield mass portions of seed to roast or save for the birds like annual sunflowers, H. angustifolius is extremely fascinating in lots of backyard conditions.
First, they’re superb for a swampy spot, just like the filth on the backside of a downspout or an space close to a pond.
They’re beautiful in native plantings, the place their enchantment to pollinators can even assist your entire ecosystem thrive.
Additionally they look good in the back of borders, particularly in a fall-blooming perennial backyard, the place they’ll present shade lengthy after summer season annuals have stopped flowering.
And don’t neglect that they’re a very good possibility for coastal gardens since they will maintain some salt air.
Final however not least, they’re a terrific alternative for the flower gardener who doesn’t wish to fuss.
Not solely are they straightforward to look after, they readily self-seed, and the rhizomes will usually resprout annually as nicely.
Fast Reference Rising Information
| Plant Kind: | Flowering herbaceous perennial | Flower/Foliage Colour: | Yellow/emerald inexperienced |
| Native to: | Japanese United States | Upkeep: | Low |
| Hardiness (USDA Zones): | 4a-9a | Tolerance: | Clay, drought, half shade, salt air, sandy soil, moist soil |
| Bloom Time: | Late summer season, fall | Soil Kind: | Common |
| Publicity: | Full solar | Soil pH: | 5.0-7.5 |
| Time to Maturity: | 100-150 days | Soil Drainage: | Nicely-draining |
| Spacing: | 12-48 inches | Attracts: | Bees and different flying pollinators, birds |
| Planting Depth: | Pressed into soil floor (seeds); even with soil floor (divisions) | Companion Planting: | Different fall-blooming perennials like asters |
| Top: | 4-10 toes | Keep away from Planting With: | Annuals, vegetation that compete for water |
| Unfold: | 2-4 toes | Makes use of: | Again of borders, coastal gardens, native plantings, half shade areas, pollinator gardens |
| Development Charge: | Reasonable | Household: | Asteraceae |
| Water Wants: | Reasonable | Genus: | Helianthus |
| Frequent Pests and Illness: | Aphids, darkling beetles, sunflower beetles, thistle caterpillars, wireworms; leaf spot, powdery mildew, rust | Species: | Angustifolius |
Swamped with Perennial Sunflowers
I’m keen on the cheerful look of sunflowers.
I’m glad this selection affords an possibility for gardeners who develop in sandy soil or coastal areas – or who need the convenience of a plant that can return season after season.
Do you might have expertise with this easy-care native perennial? We’d love your enter or to help together with your questions within the feedback part beneath.
And for extra useful data on rising all sorts of sunflowers in your backyard or panorama, learn these guides subsequent: