Helianthus laetiflorus
Showy Sunflower
a perennial member of the Helianthus genus in the family Compositae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Compositae
- Genus
- Helianthus
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 2 m
- Fertility
- Bees, Flies
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Flies
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Tubers - raw or cooked[55, 105, K]. Used like Jerusalem artichokes, to which they are not much inferior in taste though yields are lower[7][2].
- Plant part
- Root
Environment
- Range
- Central N. America - Pennsylvania to Minnesota.
- Habitat
- Open woods and thickets, often on drier soils[6].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position[1]. Requires a rich soil[1]. Dislikes shade[1]. The young growth is extremely attractive to slugs, plants can be totally destroyed by them[K]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[4]. A naturally occurring hybrid, H. pauciflorus (or H. rigidus in another report) x H. tuberosus[3]. Plants have a running root system and can be very invasive[1]. This species is often grown as an ornamental plant, there are several named varieties[1].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3