Approximately 75 seeds per packet
Collected: 2025
Packaged: 2025
Germination code: C30
Please refer to our germination codes and growing information for recommendations and tips.
Seed treatment recommended: this species requires a minimum of 30 days of cold moist stratification to break its natural dormancy and encourage germination. Alternatively, sow seeds in outdoor containers in the fall or winter, with germination occurring in the spring. If seed is untreated by February, we recommend artificially moist stratifying in a fridge.
Seeds of this species appreciate being covered by a thin layer of soil or buried lightly when sown to aid in germination. A general rule of thumb is to cover them with a layer of soil no more than two to three times their width. However, it's better to plant seeds shallow, and most seeds will germinate even if surface sown. (Optional) Sprinkling a layer of sterile sand or vermiculite overtop the soil and sown seeds usually won't negatively impact germination, and may help to maintain soil moisture and deter mold.
Heliopsis helianthoides (Early sunflower) Seed Packet
Unknown ecotype
Duration: Perennial
Habit: Upright, bushy, clump-forming, often naturalizing
Size: Typically 3 to 5 feet tall; 2 to 4 feet wide
Flowering time: June to September, heaviest in June/July
Bloom color: Bright gold yellow with yellow-orange centers
Habitat: Prairies, open woodlands, roadsides, meadows
Moisture: Dry to average; well-drained
Light: Full sun to part sun, best performance in full sun
Soils: Loamy, sandy, or clay soils; adaptable
Uses: Pollinator gardens, native meadows, erosion control, cut flowers, mass plantings, butterfly gardens, midground in landscapeHeliopsis helianthoides goes by several names, such as Oxeye sunflower, False sunflower, Early sunflower, or Smooth sunflower. It's a bright and cheerful upright perennial that produces large yellow flowers with golden-orange centers. Its flowering period spans an impressively long time, beginning heaviest in early summer (June) and lasting through often into fall (October). This makes it among the longest blooming flowers in our garden.
Despite its many common names, Heliopsis helianthoides is not a true sunflower; its Latin species name helianthoides means “resembling sunflowers”. Regardless, it still serves a similar ecological role by being able to host sunflower-specific specialist pollinators and insects, such as the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly (Chlosyne nycteis).
Early sunflower is adaptable in nature and its great ease of cultivation makes it a favorite among gardeners and restoration practitioners alike. Heliopsis helianthoides is a magnet for pollinators, attracting a wide variety of native bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, including soldier beetles and parasitic wasps. We've even seen hummingbirds visit the blooms!
Birds such as finches may eat the seeds in late summer and fall. Additionally, the plant hosts a specialised seed bug, the False milkweed bug (Lygaeus turcicus), which feeds on the numerous seeds of Heliopsis helianthoides.
In spite of this, this species produces ample seed and can colonize unaggressively in open garden settings, making it a great naturalizer. Its deep root system contributes to soil stabilization and drought tolerance (after establishment), making it an excellent candidate for meadow restoration, erosion control on slopes, and low-maintenance pollinator habitats. Deer tend to avoid Early sunflower, adding to its resilience in natural and cultivated landscapes.