Family: Asteraceae

Name: Helianthus- Greek for 'sun flower' angustifolius-refers to the plant's narrow leaves 

Range: Eastern North America 

Height: 6-8 ft

Spread: 3-4 ft

Bloom time: Early to late fall

Water needs: Medium to heavy

Pollinator Value: Very high

A giant from swamps, marshes, and ditches throughout the Eastern United States mainly on the coastal plain. An excellent garden plant perfect for rain gardens and low moist areas in full to part sun. It does however, need some room to roam given its size and slowly spreading rhizome. Long narrow, glossy, dark green leaves cover the stem culminating in clusters of dark brown centered flowers. This flower display starts in September and lasts until the first frost with this plant being among the last to bloom. This quality makes them invaluable for pollinators primarily native bees that fly late in the season when most other plants have finished flowering for the year. Lastly, I personally find that the flowers smell like chocolate. Do your part to reverse pollinator decline today, grow native!