About
Swamp sunflower is a tall perennial of wet coastal-plain ground in the eastern and south-central United States, often grown for its masses of bright yellow flowers.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Full sun gives the most flowers; partial shade is tolerated. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Prefers moist soil; not very drought tolerant.
- Propagation
- Seed or stem cuttings. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
A perennial herb up to about 1.5 m with long, narrow leaves up to 15 cm. Each plant bears 3–16 flower heads, each with 10–20 yellow rays.
Distribution & habitat
Coastal states from Texas to Long Island and inland to Missouri, mainly on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. It favours low, wet ground such as bogs and swamps but tolerates fairly dry gravelly clay.
Ecology
Insect-pollinated; in northern Florida many native bees visit it, including bumblebees, sweat bees and leafcutter bees.
Cultivation notes
Widely planted as an ornamental for its showy yellow flowers. It is not particularly drought resistant.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- United States
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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