General Landscape Uses: Accent or specimen wildflower in open, coastal uplands.

Ecological Restoration Notes: An importance componant for beach dunes and coastal strand along the east coast. Improperly used on the west coast where it hybridizes with the endemic west coast dune sunflower (H. debilis subsp. vestitus).

Description: Medium, spreading, short-lived herbaceous wildflower. Leaves rough, about 2-3 inches long.

Dimensions: Typically 1-2 feet in height. Spreading and becoming much broader than tall; plants will merge together and form large patches.

Growth Rate: Fast.

Range: Eastern coast of peninsular Florida from Miami-Dade County north to southeastern Georgia; doubtfully native to the Monroe County Keys.

Habitats: Open coastal uplands.

Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.

Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.

Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.

Salt Wind Tolerance: Frontline; grows in direct salt wind but away from constant salt spray.

Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.

Light Requirements: Full sun.

Flower Color: Yellow, with dark centers.

Flower Characteristics: Showy.

Flowering Season: All year.

Fruit: Inconspicuous achene. All year.

Wildlife and Ecology: An important sand binder on beach dunes. Attracts bees, butterflies, moths, and other insect pollinators. Provides seeds and insects for birds.

Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed. Once established it is self seeding.

References: EDIS (UF)

Comments: Can become ratty-looking after peak flowering. Plants may need to be trimmed back heavily and allowed to re-sprout or recruit from seed. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Flower Friday page and a 2019 post on the Treasure Coast Natives blog on why sunflowers bend.