Heliopsis helianthoides

Resembling the common sunflower, this showy wildflower has smaller flowers with more abundant blooms. Oxeye Sunflower shows off its bright yellow daisy-like flowers between May and October, providing visual interest over a long bloom period and are great as cut flowers. With its easygoing nature, it makes a great addition to the garden, even for those with little gardening experience. Getting up to five feet tall, plants can be kept shorter by cutting back stems in May before their bloom period. Although it does best in moist, well-drained soil, it can tolerate a variety of soil conditions. Naturally, this plant grows in open woodlands, prairies, and fields. Starting in August through November, flowerheads turn to disks filled with seeds and readily self-sow. Songbirds eat the seeds and rest on the stems. As the plant gets taller, providing support or staking can prevent them from flopping in harsh winds. Deadheading spent flowers can lengthen the bloom period. Oxeye Sunflower is deer resistant.