Western Sunflower

This compact-growing, native perennial sunflower blooms for manyweeks flowers beginning in late summer, attracting a wide variety ofpollinators and later, seed-eating songbirds to its seed heads. Native to theeastern half of the US, the flowering plants only reach 3 to 4 feet in height.Spreading by rhizomes (horizontal growing roots), the plants will form largecolonies, so give it room to expand. Growing in a wide range of soil types andclimates, this wildflower makes a wonderful low-maintenance cottage garden ormeadow/prairie plant. Its also useful on slopes to hold the soil. Western Sunflowersmakes a great companion for Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe), Purple Coneflower(Echinacea), and many native ornamental grasses like Blonde Ambition BlueGrama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis) and Prairie Switchgrass (Panicum).