Helianthus mollis

Helianthus mollis, also known as perennial sunflower, is a large plant with a rhizomatous rootstock, attractive even when not in bloom. Its entire vegetation covered with a down seems dusted with a silvery powder, which harmonizes perfectly with large butter-yellow daisies with green centres, turning yellow then brown. The flowers bloom on the plant from mid-summer to early autumn. This beloved bird-friendly sunflower will bring life to the garden and add colour to meadow-like beds and the blooming mass of asters at the end of the season. This foolproof plant is ideal for beginner gardeners, or gardens without gardeners. It thrives in any well-drained soil, even poor or occasionally dry soil in summer, in full sun of course, but also in partial shade.

Helianthus mollis belongs to the Asteraceae family. The Helianthus genus includes one of the most important oilseed plants in the world, the sunflower from which oil is extracted. This perennial sunflower with small leaves is native to dry prairies, dry open woods, rocky glades, fields, thickets, roadsides, and railroad right-of-ways from Ohio to Wisconsin south to Texas and Georgia. It forms a tall, somewhat spreading clump, reaching 1.20m (4ft) in height with a base spread of 80cm (32in). The entire plant is pubescent, giving it a silvery appearance. This perennial forms a bouquet of strong, rough, and branched stems, covered with oval leaves with cordate bases, decreasing in size from the base to the top of the stem. They are particularly beautiful when they emerge in spring covered in a sort of frost. Blooming occurs from July to October and is highly attractive to bees. The flowers appear at the top of the stems, in large numbers, resembling beautiful round daisies measuring 7 to 10cm (3 to 4in) in diameter, with a butter-yellow colour and a central disk of 2.5cm (1in) that darkens as the seeds ripen. Birds, especially goldfinches, love these seeds. This plant spreads slowly but steadily through underground rhizomes.

The great interest of perennial sunflowers lies in their late flowering and excellent adaptation to heavy, clayey, dry, wet, and even calcareous soils. Helianthus mollis is a very beautiful and easy-to-grow perennial with good longevity. Vigorous and floriferous, it also adapts to partial shade and is perfect for the back of borders or beds, as well as in mixed borders. It has a rustic appearance and, as such, blends well in slightly wild areas of the garden, alongside Cosmos, perennial sweet peas, large Scabious, Gaillardias, Japanese anemones, and trailing Liriope. Another idea for association, with equally easy plants: Vernonia noveboracensis, Symphyotrichum laeve var. 'Bluebird', Eupatorium fistulosum, Symphyotrichum georgianum, Andropogon virginicus, Muhlenbergia capillaris.